CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Betting Shops: Licensing

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many applications for a betting shop licence have been refused by London local authorities in the latest period for which figures are available.

John Penrose: Betting premises licences are issued by local licensing authorities under the Gambling Act 2005 (the Act). Under section 165 of the Act, a licensing authority must give notice of a rejected application to the Gambling Commission.
	On the basis of the data supplied to the Commission by local authorities five betting premises licence applications have been rejected by London local authorities since 1 September 2007.

Departmental Official Cars

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers in his Department are entitled to the use of (i) a car with a dedicated driver, (ii) a car from the Government car pool and (iii) a taxi ordered through a departmental account.

John Penrose: The Department does not offer the use of dedicated drivers or pool cars to civil servants or special advisers.
	The Department has an account for taxi services which is only used in exceptional circumstances (e.g. when no other suitable method of public transport is available, or heavy baggage has to be transported).

Departmental Pay

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 2 June 2010,  Official Report, column 27W, on departmental manpower, what the salary range is of staff employed at each grade in the private office of each Minister in his Department.

John Penrose: The following table shows the pay ranges for staff employed in the private office of each Minister in the Department.
	
		
			  Civil service grades  Pay range 
			 SCS Pay Band 1 £58,200-£117,750 
			 Grade 6 £52,963-£66,005 
			 Grade 7 £45,380-£54,595 
			 Higher Executive Officer/Senior Executive Officer £29,263-£36,043 
			 Executive Officer £23,197-£25,952 
		
	
	In addition to base pay, staff in the private office of each Minister are also entitled to an allowance to cover all additional working hours including travel time and weekend working.
	The allowances are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Civil service grades  Allowance (£) 
			 SCS Pay Band 1 8,500 
			 Grade 6 8,500 
			 Grade 7 8,500 
			 Higher Executive Officer/Senior Executive Officer 6,500 
			 Executive Officer (Assistant Private Secretary) 5,000 
			 Executive Officer (Diary Secretary) 4,500

Departmental Reviews

Andrew Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2010,  Official Report, column 137W, on Government departments: reviews, what reviews his Department is undertaking; and what the  (a) purpose and  (b) timescale of each is.

Jeremy Hunt: The coalition agreement sets out in detail the Government's future plans, including the key reviews it will be undertaking. My Department will bring forward detailed information about these reviews in due course.

Mass Media

Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he has met representatives of  (a) News International,  (b) the BBC and  (c) ITV since his appointment.

Jeremy Hunt: I have met the chairman of the BBC Trust and both the chairman and CEO of ITV.
	I intend to meet the chairman and chief executive of News Corporation, Europe and Asia, and the director-general of the BBC, in the coming weeks.

Museums and Galleries: Finance

Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether proposals to build a national film centre are to be funded  (a) at the level and  (b) to the timetable set out on 16 October 2009.

Edward Vaizey: As announced on 16 June, because of the severe financial problems inherited by the Government we are unable at present to contribute to the BFI Film Centre. We are however planning fundamentally to reassess how we support film to ensure that the industry is ready for the challenges it will face in the decade to come.

Television: Licensing

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will extend free television licences to all those of pensionable age.

Edward Vaizey: Free television licences are currently available to those aged 75 and over. There are no current plans to extend this concession.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Public Expenditure

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 
	(1)  how many of his Department's contracts with its suppliers are under review as a result of the recently announced reductions in public expenditure; and what the monetary value is of all such contracts which are under review;
	(2)  to ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many officials in his Department are working on renegotiating contracts for the supply of goods and services to the Department as a result of recently announced reductions in public spending; what savings are expected to accrue to his Department from such renegotiations; how much expenditure his Department will incur on such renegotiations; and when such renegotiations will be completed.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office mainly uses framework contracts negotiated by the Ministry of Justice and to a lesser extent the Scottish Government thus allowing it to take advantage of economies of scale. We will ensure that the Scotland Office input into contracts renegotiated by others leads to the reduction of costs. All Scotland Office officials responsible for spending are working actively to reduce expenditure.

TRANSPORT

Biofuels: EU Action

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of progress in discussions at EU level on the development of mandatory sustainability criteria for biofuels.

Norman Baker: The European Commission published a Communication document on 10 June 2010. This provides guidance to member states on implementing the biofuels sustainability requirements of the Renewable Energy Directive and the Fuel Quality Directive. Details of some specific aspects of the sustainability criteria will be established through a process of comitology in which the UK will be fully involved.

Bus Services: Concessions

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the provision of free bus passes for people in receipt of disability living allowance.

Norman Baker: The categories of eligibility for free bus passes are set out in legislation. It is for local authorities to assess whether a person is eligible to receive a bus pass on the grounds of disability and the Department for Transport issues guidance to assist them in doing this. The Department's guidance advises that eligibility for a concessionary travel pass may be considered "automatic" (not requiring further assessment) where a person is in receipt of the higher rate mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance provided that the award of the benefit is expected to be for at least 12 months.

Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Tolls

Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will conduct a study into the costs and benefits of removing the tolls plaza at the Dartford Crossing and collecting the charge electronically.

Michael Penning: The Coalition Government are committed to supporting new transport technologies, and I have asked for further advice from officials on the costs, possible funding sources and benefits of options to improve the performance of the Dartford Crossing, such as the use of newer charging technologies.

Departmental Internet

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the URL is of each website managed by  (a) his Department and  (b) each non-departmental public body and agency for which his Department is responsible.

Norman Baker: The URLs for the websites managed by  (a) the Department for Transport and  (b) non departmental public bodies and agencies are as follows:
	
		
			  Departments  URL 
			 Department for Transport www.dft.gov.uk 
			  www.transportdirect.info 
			  www.safed.org.uk 
			   
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency www.dvlaonline.gov.uk 
			  www.dvlaprizedraw.org 
			   
			 Vehicle Certification Agency www.vca.gov.uk 
			  www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk 
			   
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency www.mcga.gov.uk 
			  www.ukshipregister.co.uk 
			  www.redensigngroup.org 
			  www.mcapodcasts.co.uk 
			   
			 Driving Standards Agency www.dsa.gov.uk 
			   
			 Highways Agency www.highways.gov.uk 
			  www.itsradarinternational.info 
			  www.standardsforhighways.co.uk 
			  www.esdal.com 
			  www.tssplansregistry.org 
			  www.ha-partnernet.org.uk 
			  www.halogenonline.co.uk 
			  www.ha-research.gov.uk 
			  www.trafficengland.com 
			  www.trafficradio.org.uk 
			   
			 NDPBS and other organisations www.aaib.gov.uk 
			  www.maib.gov.uk 
			  www.raib.gov.uk 
			  www.lowcvp.org.uk 
			  www.rail-reg.gov.uk 
			  www.passengerfocus.org.uk 
			  www.nlb.org.uk 
			  www.trinityhouse.co.uk 
			  www.bikeability.org.uk 
			  www.renewablefuelsagency.gov.uk

Departmental Public Expenditure

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 10 June 2010,  Official Report, column 35WS, on transport (local authority major schemes), which major schemes for local authorities in each region which had been granted conditional approval or programme entry by the previous administration are now under review.

Norman Baker: All the local authority schemes granted conditional approval or programme entry by the previous administration are subject to review as part of the overall spending review. These schemes are as follows, grouped by region. Those marked with an asterisk were awarded conditional approval. All others were awarded programme entry only.
	 East of England
	Ipswich: Transport Fit for the 21st Century (Suffolk)
	Luton Town Centre Transport Scheme (Luton)
	Watford Junction Interchange (Hertfordshire)
	Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Norfolk)
	 East Midlands
	Mansfield Public Transport Interchange Scheme (Nottinghamshire)
	A43 Corby Link Road (Northamptonshire)
	A509 Isham Bypass (Northamptonshire)
	Loughborough Town Centre Transport Scheme (Leicestershire)
	Nottingham Ring Road (Nottingham)
	Hucknall Town Centre Improvement Scheme (Nottinghamshire)
	 North East
	Sunderland Central Route (Sunderland)
	Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor (Sunderland)
	A1056 Northern Gateway (North Tyneside)
	 North West
	Rochdale Interchange (GMPTE)
	Cross City Bus (GMPTE)
	Mersey Gateway (Second Mersey Crossing) (Halton)
	Completion of Heysham to M6 Link Road (Lancashire)
	Crewe Green Link Southern Section (Cheshire East)
	Pennine Reach (East Lanes Rapid Transit) (Blackburn)
	Thornton to Switch Island Link (Sefton)
	 South East
	Reading Station Highway Works (Reading)*
	A244 Walton Bridge (Surrey)*
	Bexhill to Hastings Link Road (East Sussex)
	 South West
	Isles of Scilly Link (Cornwall)*
	East of Exeter Improvements (Devon)
	Taunton Northern Inner Distributor Road (Somerset)
	Weston-Super-Mare Package (North East Somerset)
	Bath Transportation Package (Bath and North East Somerset)
	Camborne-Pool-Redruth Transport Package (Cornwall)
	Bus Rapid Transit-Ashton Vale to Temple Meads (Bristol)
	 West Midlands
	Darlaston Strategic Development Area Access Project (Walsall)
	Midland Metro Birmingham City Centre Extension (Centro)
	 Yorkshire and the Humber
	Waverley Link Road (Rotherham)
	A6182 White Rose Way Improvement Scheme (Doncaster)
	Castleford Town Centre Integrated Transport Scheme (Metro)
	A57 M1 Junction 31 to Todwick Crossroads Improvement (Rotherham)
	Leeds Station Southern Access (Metro)
	Access York Phase 1 (York)
	Beverley Integrated Transport Plan (East Riding)
	A18-A180 Link (North East Lincolnshire)
	A684 Bedale/Aiskew/Leeming Bar Bypass (North Yorkshire)
	Leeds New Generation Transport (Metro).

Departmental Public Expenditure

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what  (a) rolling stock and  (b) highway improvement schemes have been deferred as part of his Department's contribution to in-year expenditure reductions for 2010-11.

Philip Hammond: In light of the current fiscal position, and a softening of demand, a reappraisal of all un-committed High-Level Output Specification schemes will now commence, taking account of the National Audit Office report entitled "Increasing Passenger Rail Capacity" which was published on 4 June 2010. This report is available on the NAO website at:
	http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/1011/rail_capacity.aspx
	Three highway improvement schemes have been deferred as part of the Department for Transport's contribution to in-year expenditure reductions for 2010-11. The three schemes are:
	A453-Widening
	A23-Handcross to Warninglid
	M6-Junctions 5 to 8.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what categories of grants by his Department to local authorities will be included in his plans for reductions in spending.

Norman Baker: The Government have made clear that their most urgent priority is to tackle the UK's record deficit. To help achieve this, on 10 June the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) announced £1.166 billion of savings from grants to local authorities. Details of all grant reductions are available on the CLG website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/local governmentfinance/

Departmental Public Expenditure

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 10 June 2010,  Official Report, column 35WS, on transport (local authority major schemes), what priorities have been set for use in the reviews of transport projects which have programme entry or conditional approval to determine whether they may proceed.

Norman Baker: holding answer 21 June 2010
	The principles that will apply to the spending review across all Departments are set out in the 2010 Spending Review Framework document, published by Her Majesty's Treasury on 8 June 2010.
	In the coalition agreement we committed to reform the way decisions are made on which transport projects to prioritise, so that the benefits of low-carbon proposals (including light rail schemes) are fully recognised. We will announce details of how this reform is to be implemented in due course.

Forth Road Bridge

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding his Department and its agencies plan to provide to maintain the Forth Road Bridge in  (a) 2011-12,  (b) 2012-13 and  (c) 2013-14; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: The provision of road transport in Scotland is a devolved matter. It would therefore be for the Scottish Government (through Transport Scotland) to allocate funding to the Forth Road Bridge.

Government Car and Despatch Agency

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the  (a) make,  (b) model and  (c) place of manufacture was of each car (i) purchased and (ii) leased by the Government Car Service since 6 May 2010; and how much each cost to purchase or lease.

Michael Penning: Since 6 May 2010 the Government Car Service has (i) not purchased any vehicles and (ii) not leased any vehicles.

M18: Closures

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason the M18 motorway was closed between junctions 3 and 4 in the early part of the evening of 10 June 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: The M18 was closed overnight, 9pm to 6am between junctions 3 and 4 northbound on 10 June to allow resurfacing of lane one of the carriageway to be undertaken safely. At this location the M18 is a dual two lane motorway with hard shoulder. It is therefore not possible to provide an adequate safety zone in accordance with Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual for the protection of the workforce using the existing carriageway layout.
	These works were part of a planned routine maintenance scheme that consisted of the resurfacing of lane one of the north and southbound carriageways of the motorway to address significant areas of rutting, together with associated lining and studding reinstatement works. The works were required to ensure the continued safe operation of the motorway and were planned to minimise disruption to road users by being carried out overnight on weekdays.
	Clearly signed diversion routes were in place and had been agreed with Doncaster Metropolitan borough council and South Yorkshire police. A Temporary Traffic Regulation Order was in place to allow closure of the motorway at this location. A press release for these works was issued with coverage in the Yorkshire Post on 7 June 2010.

M18: Closures

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason information on the closure of the M18 motorway on 10 June 2010 was not given on overhead warning gantries on the M1 motorway on that date in locations other than South Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: Variable Message Signs (VMS) were set due to overnight roadworks from 8.20 pm on M1 back to Junction 29. Additional manual VMS signs were set at 11.12 pm expanding the warning area of the closure back to Junction 28, and suggesting motorists take a diversion route via M1/M62. All signage was taken off at 6.46 am.
	The signs were not set at other locations because journey time data indicated the local diversion was handling the extra traffic with no delays reported in the area.

Motorways: Speed Limits

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what length of motorways was subject to 50 mph speed reductions and average speed camera monitoring at the latest date for which information is available.

Michael Penning: holding answer 17 June 2010
	 : On 10 June 2010, the latest date for which information is available, there were 189 carriageway miles of motorway with roadworks that were subject to a 50 mile per hour speed limit and had average speed cameras.
	The Highways Agency provides average speed cameras at temporary road works to assist the police with the capability to enforce reduced speed limits.
	On motorways and trunk roads, the speed limit at roadworks is reduced to support both the safety of road users and the work force.

Private Roads: Greater Manchester

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of unadopted roads in Denton and Reddish constituency.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has made no estimate of the number of unadopted roads in Denton and Reddish constituency.

Roads: Accidents

Simon Reevell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many road accidents there were in the Kirklees local authority area in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many road accident fatalities there were in the Kirklees local authority area in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: The information requested is given in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of reported personal injury road accidents and fatalities in these accidents in Kirklees local authority: 2004-08 
			   Accidents  Fatalities 
			 2004 1,344 15 
			 2005 1,326 18 
			 2006 1,285 17 
			 2007 1,299 9 
			 2008 1,208 5

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

EU Enlargement

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he expects  (a) Croatia,  (b) Bosnia and Herzegovina, (c) Macedonia and  (d) Iceland to join the EU.

David Lidington: The UK firmly supports the objective of EU membership for all four countries and fully expects them to join the EU once they have met the accession criteria. The Government will continue to champion the EU's enlargement, including to the western Balkans and Turkey, on the basis of rigorous application of the entry criteria.

EU Institutions: Fines

Ian Paisley Jnr: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions the UK Permanent Representative to the EU has had on the financial correction levied on the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: UK responsible authorities have regular discussions on the implementation and administration of common agricultural policy payments, including any disallowance resulting from audits by the European Commission. In the case of the recent financial corrections proposed on the UK in connection with the administration of area aids by the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development Northern Ireland, officials from that Department have discussed the case with both the European Commission and the UK Permanent Representative.

Gibraltar: Equality

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2010,  Official Report, column 100W, on Gibraltar: equality, when he expects Gibraltar to meet its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights in relation to an equal age of consent.

David Lidington: Action by the Government of Gibraltar to equalise its law on the age of consent is likely to be dependent on the timing and outcome of the case before the Gibraltar courts. The UK has sought to intervene in the case to make clear the international obligations which are engaged in this matter.

Human Rights: Finance

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will assess the merits of establishing an emergency fund to assist human rights activists and their families in countries where they are likely to face persecution.

Jeremy Browne: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) strategic programme fund for human rights and democracy already provides funding for human rights defenders under its civil society strand.
	The European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights, an EU programme fund is accessible to non-governmental organisations. It has certain funds earmarked for supporting Human Rights Defenders, including those at risk. This funding can be accessed in individual countries or through Brussels.
	Working bilaterally and in conjunction with other international organisations, including under the EU's Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders, UK embassies take practical action to support human rights defenders through attending events, supporting their activities and raising the profile of human rights issues both privately and publicly.

Iran: Sanctions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he  (a) has taken and  (b) plans to take to enforce sanctions against Iran; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: This Government are committed to the rapid and rigorous enforcement of the measures adopted under UN Security Council Resolution 1929 and we are working to implement measures as soon as possible. Upon adoption the UK Borders Agency added additional designations to their watch list and the Treasury took the necessary steps to ensure that newly designated entities will have their assets frozen if they attempt to operate within the UK. British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies have also been notified of action that they are required to take.
	We are working with EU partners to ensure the harmonised implementation of UN measures and we are seeking tough additional EU measures. The 17 June European Council Declaration on Iran is a statement of intent. We welcome the creation of a UN Panel of Experts, mandated by the resolution, who will examine and report on the implementation of sanctions against Iran. The Government will submit a report to the UN Secretariat on the measures it has taken to implement the latest round of sanctions in coming months.

Iran: Sanctions

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have informed him of an intention to participate in the enforcement of sanctions against Iran.

Alistair Burt: UN Security Council resolution 1929 was passed on 9 June 2010 and set out new sanctions against Iran. Under Chapter VII of the UN Charter all member states are now required to apply these sanctions.
	In addition the European Council issued a Declaration on Iran on 17 June 2010, which set out a range of areas where the EU will pursue additional sanctions against Iran.

Palestinians: Human Rights

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take at the United Nations in response to allegations of human rights abuses by members of Hamas in Gaza; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The UN Security Council discusses the situation in the Middle East on a monthly basis including the urgent need for Hamas to renounce violence. UN Security Council Resolution 1860 was clear in its condemnation on the use of violence by all parties. We continue to call for its full implementation.
	More widely we call on Hamas to take immediate and concrete steps towards the Quartet principles, unconditionally to release Gilad Shalit, who has been held in captivity for four years, and to end its interference with the operations of non-governmental organisations and UN agencies in Gaza.

Sudan: Elections

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had on ensuring the Border Commission in Sudan reports back and its recommendations are implemented before the Comprehensive Peace Agreement referendum takes place.

Henry Bellingham: Demarcation of the North/South border in Sudan is a central element of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. We understand that the majority of the border has now been agreed by the Border Committee. However, there are several outstanding sections which remain unagreed. Demarcation on the ground of the agreed sections has begun. The Government of National Unity has said that the border will be demarcated in advance of the Referendum on Self-Determination for South Sudan in January 2011.
	We will continue to urge both Sudanese parties to ensure full implementation of the Agreement, including demarcation of the border and the holding of a peaceful and credible Referendum.

Turkey: EU Enlargement

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to assist Turkey accede to the EU.

David Lidington: Turkey's accession to the EU is a key goal for the Government, subject to the rigorous application of the accession criteria. We work closely with Turkey, both bilaterally and at the EU level, to support progress in their domestic reform programme to meet all the requirements of the EU acquis. We also encourage Turkey's efforts to support the Cyprus settlement process, and call for Turkey to implement the Additional Ankara Protocol.

WALES

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the progress of the Future Rapid Effects System Scout programme in Wales.

Cheryl Gillan: I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Defence.
	Like all defence spending in the UK, the Future Rapid Effects/System Scout programme is currently being considered under a Strategic Defence and Security Review. The coalition Government are committed to ensuring that we get the best value for money on all Government spending, including defence spending.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans she has to appoint a special adviser.

Cheryl Gillan: I have appointed a special adviser with effect from 5 July.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many special advisers are employed at each grade in the Wales Office.

Cheryl Gillan: One special adviser at Pay Band 1 will be employed from 5 July 2010 in the Wales Office.

Devolution

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff in her Department are engaged full-time on preparations for a referendum on further powers for the Welsh Assembly.

Cheryl Gillan: Two. Other members of staff, including legal advisers, are also engaged on the referendum preparations alongside their other work.

RAF St Athan

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the development of a defence technical college at St Athan.

Cheryl Gillan: I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Defence.
	Like all defence spending in the UK, the proposed Defence Technical College at St Athan is currently being considered under a Strategic Defence and Security Review. The coalition Government are committed to ensuring that they get best value for money on all Government spending, including defence spending.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Terrorism

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will hold immediate discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice on the findings regarding the security situation in Northern Ireland in the report of 27 May 2010 from the Independent Monitoring Commission.

Owen Paterson: I do not plan to meet with the Secretary of State for Justice to discuss the findings regarding the security situation in Northern Ireland in the report of the 27 May 2010 from the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC). I am not aware of any matters in the report that are relevant to the Justice Secretary's responsibilities. I have discussed this issue with the Minister of Justice of the Northern Ireland Executive, David Ford. He is aware of the findings and supportive of the IMC's work. I am committed to continuing to work closely with the Minister of Justice on all matters of joint interest.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) new helicopters,  (b) armoured vehicles and  (c) protected vehicles have been delivered to Afghanistan in each of the last five years; and how much funding is planned to be allocated for such purposes by (i) his Department and (ii) the Treasury Reserve in each of the next three years.

Liam Fox: We do not provide actual numbers of armoured or protected vehicles and helicopters for operational security reasons.
	The forward defence equipment programme will be considered as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, and priority will continue to be given to the delivery of equipment required to support operations in Afghanistan. For this reason projects delivering capability to Afghanistan were exempted from the Government's recent review of approvals. An annual estimate for Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) expenditure from the Reserve is agreed with HM Treasury. For financial year 2010-11, an estimate of £850 million for UORs has been agreed. In addition, as the Prime Minister announced on 10 June, the Treasury has agreed to provide an additional £67 million on top of this estimate for critical Counter-Improvised Explosive Device equipment, including a number of specialist MASTIFF vehicles.

Armed Forces: Young People

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review the use of MOD Form 90 as proof of age in public houses.

Andrew Robathan: MOD Form 90 is an internal document and is not ordinarily intended to be used as a universal identity card. However, it does show the date of birth of the holder. Therefore, I have asked officials to consider ways of encouraging wider acceptance by retailers and establishments of this form of identity as proof of age for the purpose of obtaining goods and services, including the purchase of alcohol and tobacco.

Departmental Buildings

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what properties his Department and its non-departmental public bodies  (a) own and  (b) lease overseas; whether those properties are shared with other Government departments and agencies; and whether he plans (i) to sell the building or (ii) cancel the lease in each case.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence manages a considerable overseas estate including training areas, barracks, Service family and other official accommodation, in a number of countries including Germany, Canada, Kenya and Cyprus as well as Gibraltar and the South Atlantic Islands.
	This estate exists solely to support the outputs of defence and is kept under constant review to ensure that it is no larger than required. In most cases, land or properties are occupied under agreements with the host Governments on a rent free basis. Some service housing is leased from private local landlords, but very few properties are owned freehold.
	When a property becomes surplus to defence requirements, arrangements are made to hand it back to the host nation Government, to terminate the lease at an appropriate point, or to sell the property (if freehold).
	The information required to fully answer the question has to be compiled from a number of sources and a list setting out the overseas estate and other details will be placed in the Library of the House.

Departmental Manpower

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the cost to the public purse of proposed reductions in numbers of non-frontline staff in his Department and its agencies.

Liam Fox: We do not distinguish between frontline and non-frontline staff. Information in this format could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Decisions on how many military and civilian personnel we need for the future will be made in the context of the Government's Strategic Defence and Security Review. The defence section of this review will conclude by the autumn, alongside the Government's Spending Review. Should it be necessary for any staff to be made redundant, the Department will pay compensation in accordance with its legal obligations.

HMS Southampton

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) location,  (b) status and  (c) plans for the disposal are of HMS Southampton.

Peter Luff: HMS SOUTHAMPTON left service with the Royal Navy in February 2009 and is currently berthed at HM Naval Base Portsmouth where essential equipment is being removed for use on other operational Type 42 Destroyers. On current plans, SOUTHAMPTON is due to be handed over to the Ministry of Defence's Disposal Services Authority later this year; the options for her disposal remain under review.

Trident

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the terms of reference are of his Trident value for money review; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Fox: The Government are committed to a continuous at sea nuclear deterrent based on a Trident missile system. The value for money review is to ensure that plans to replace the current Vanguard class submarine are being taken forward in the most cost effective manner possible.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Land Use

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to protect Grade One agricultural land.

James Paice: The Government will publish and present to Parliament a simple and consolidated national planning policy framework setting out our national economic, environmental and social priorities. An announcement on how we propose to take forward the national framework and the implications for specific areas of planning policy will be made in due course.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what her policy is on the future of the Pillar II element of the Common Agricultural Policy;
	(2)  if she will discuss with her EU counterparts the further development of Pillar II funding as part of the discussions on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy beyond 2013.

James Paice: The current Pillar II of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) plays an important role in delivering non market-distorting benefits for society through sustainable land management, and support for the competitiveness of the farming and forestry sectors and the rural economy. A future CAP must continue to reward farmers for the provision of societal benefits not otherwise rewarded by the market.
	DEFRA Ministers have started, and will continue, to engage with Commission and member state counterparts to ensure that the UK is at the heart of negotiations on the CAP.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the use of modulation in respect of Pillar II of the Common Agricultural Policy.

James Paice: In the current programming period (2007-13), modulation is an important mechanism to provide funding for the provision of public goods in Pillar 2. In particular, in England, modulation provides the funding which is essential to enable us to continue with our agri-environment schemes, which deliver important benefits for biodiversity, landscape and the protection of natural resources.

Animal Welfare: Circuses

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for the future regulation of use of wild animals in circuses.

James Paice: We will consider the results of the recent public consultation exercise on the use of wild animals in travelling circuses before deciding what future action to take, if any.

Animal Welfare: Circuses

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of representations received on the Government's consultation on the use of wild animals in circuses;
	(2)  if she will ban the use of wild animals in circuses.

James Paice: The previous Government issued an initial analysis of responses to their consultation on the use of wild animals in circuses. We will consider the results of the consultation exercise before deciding what future action to take, if any.

Biofuels

Mark Spencer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to support farmers diversifying into energy production.

James Paice: Grants for the establishment of dedicated perennial energy crops, such as Miscanthus and short rotation coppice, are available through the Energy Crops scheme, which is funded under the Rural Development programme for England (RDPE).
	Feed in tariffs (FITs) are available to farmers, and other generators, to support new anaerobic digestion, hydro, solar photovoltaic, and wind projects, up to a maximum capacity of 5 Megawatts (MW). Varying levels of FIT support are offered, depending on the technology and the capacity of the installation. We are currently exploring how we can help more farmers make use of anaerobic digestion technology.
	The Renewables Obligation provides support for large scale electricity generation stations and combined heat and power plants (including anaerobic digesters) over 5MW, which are fuelled by energy crops, regular biomass and biomass waste.
	Farmers wishing to diversify their businesses, including into energy production, may be eligible for assistance under the RDPE. Farmers should contact their local Regional Development Agency to discuss what funding may be available.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what her policy is on the control of bovine tuberculosis in cattle; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the conclusions of the June 2007 Report of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB on the introduction of badger culling to the future control of cattle tuberculosis.

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps she plans to take to ensure that all scientific views are taken into account before determining her policy on any badger cull in England;
	(2)  whether her Department has identified areas with high and persistent levels of bovine tuberculosis;
	(3)  what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of badger culling as a means of controlling bovine tuberculosis.

James Paice: Bovine tuberculosis is one of the most worrying animal health problems facing our cattle farmers, and dealing with it is a high priority for the Department.
	Bovine TB is largely a regional problem, with high and persistent levels of the disease concentrated in the South West and West Midlands in England, and in South-West Wales.
	We are currently considering all the issues carefully, including the scientific evidence, to work out the detail of a package of measures to tackle bovine TB. We will be looking at culling and vaccination options as part of that package.
	The coalition Government have committed that as part of a package of measures, we will introduce a carefully managed and science-led policy of badger control in areas with high and persistent levels of TB in cattle. We are currently developing that package of measures, considering all the issues carefully, including the scientific evidence, to work out the detail and to make sure we get it right.
	The most recent results from post-trial analyses of the randomised badger culling trial show a continued beneficial effect on the incidence of TB in cattle within the culled areas for at least three and a half years after the culling ended. We will be considering this latest evidence alongside all the other relevant evidence and issues before taking a decision.
	I have also met the TB eradication group for England and asked them to advise me on this package of measures.

Cattle: Animal Welfare

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to reduce the effects on the health of cattle of selective breeding for high milk yield.

James Paice: In taking steps to reduce the effects on the health of cattle of selective breeding for high milk yield, we fully recognise the need to improve the health, welfare and longevity of dairy cows. This includes enhancing expression and recognition of oestrous, increasing conception rate to artificial insemination, improving energy balance in early lactation, identifying management factors affecting the welfare and longevity of cows, identifying strategies to control milk somatic cell counts and improving the functionality of dairy products through dairy cow nutrition.
	A comprehensive, integrated programme of collaborative research is currently being undertaken by DEFRA in support of the dairy industry.

Common Agricultural Policy

Mark Spencer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the farming industry and other interested parties on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.

James Paice: DEFRA Ministers and officials meet regularly with farming and environmental groups, as well as other interested parties, the devolved administrations and other EU member states, to discuss reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Departmental Members' Interests

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place in the Library a copy of each item of correspondence with the Permanent Secretary of her Department in respect of her private interests since her appointment.

Caroline Spelman: In accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code, the Government are committed to publishing Ministers' relevant interests twice yearly. The list will be published in due course. In the meantime, I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Food: Origin Marking

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had at EU level on country-of-origin food labelling.

James Paice: Ongoing discussions in Europe on the new EU food labelling regulation include origin labelling.
	The Government support the need for clear and accurate origin labelling as set out in the Government Programme, and will be working with the food industry, retailers and others achieve this.

Food: Procurement

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to promote the procurement of food from sustainable and ethical sources in the public sector.

James Paice: The procurement of food in the public sector is an area where the coalition Government are looking for progress, both in terms of efficiencies and sustainability. The public sector must lead by example on this, and DEFRA is looking into how this can be achieved.
	DEFRA is taking forward the commitment in the Coalition Agreement to ensure that food procured by Government Departments, and eventually the whole public sector, meets British standards of production wherever this can be achieved without increasing overall cost.

Game: Animal Welfare

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for the future regulation of the use of battery cages to keep gamebirds.

James Paice: The welfare of game birds reared for sporting purposes is covered by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. We have no plans to introduce further legislation to cover game birds.
	The previous code of practice for the welfare of game birds was withdrawn from Parliament on 27 May because we did not consider that it was sufficiently based on scientific evidence. We understand that there are concerns on the use of barren cages to house breeding game birds. We are now amending the code in consultation with members of the working group that drafted the first version. This will be laid before Parliament for approval once the amendments have been agreed.

Hill Farming: Regulation

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to publish her proposals on a new risk-based approach to regulation for hill farmers.

James Paice: The Government announced, on 9 June, a new industry-led task force on farming regulation. It is chaired by Richard Macdonald, former director-general of the National Farmers Union, and is charged with identifying ways to reduce the regulatory burden. It will provide advice on how best to achieve a risk-based system of regulation in the future. The task force will make its initial recommendations by early 2011. To provide additional support for hill farmers, we will explore the scope to add to the funding provided by the Uplands Entry Level Stewardship Scheme through changes to the arrangements, under both pillar 1 and pillar 2, of the common agricultural policy, all of which are likely to require EU agreement.

Incinerators: Health Hazards

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  whether she plans to bring forward a protocol for assessing the toxicity of soil contaminated by incinerator bottom ash;
	(2)  if she will publish the adopted sampling protocol for assessing the ectoxocity of incinerator bottom ash;
	(3)  if she will ensure that the adopted protocol for sampling incinerator bottom ash to assess ecotoxicity will require representative sampling;
	(4)  when her Department began its discussions with the Environmental Services Association on sampling procedures for H14 ecotoxicity of incinerator bottom ash; and what the outcomes were of those discussions;
	(5)  if she will take steps to ensure that incinerator bottom ash which is ecotoxic or hazardous is appropriately classified and sent to hazardous landfill;
	(6)  when she plans to publish a protocol for the sampling of incinerator bottom ash.

Richard Benyon: The Environmental Services Association (ESA) has been developing the sampling protocol for assessing the ecotoxicity of incinerator bottom ash (IBA) for some time. It had been expected to be published earlier this year. The ESA will publish the document once it is completed to the satisfaction of the Environment Agency. The sampling protocol being prepared by ESA is based on representative sampling. The Environment Agency is not aware of any examples of soil contamination by IBA.
	It is the responsibility of any waste holder to ensure that the waste is correctly classified and managed accordingly. Any waste identified as hazardous should be managed in accordance with the relevant waste legislation to protect human health and the environment. This may include appropriate treatment and recovery, or controlled landfill. It is the role of the Environment Agency to enforce the waste legislation.

Uplands

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policy of the recent Commission for Rural Communities report on upland areas of England.

Richard Benyon: We recognise the significance of the uplands, and are grateful to the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) for their contribution to this debate. The CRC's report covers a wide range of issues including farming, environmental stewardship, CAP reform, and rural services, and we shall be considering these carefully within DEFRA as well as in other Departments. As the CRC itself recognises, many of the issues raised in this report are not unique to the uplands, and reflect broader issues faced by all rural communities, including low-land and coastal communities.

Whales: Conservation

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has made to her Japanese counterpart on allegations that crews of Japanese whalers undertaking secretive whaling are appropriating whale meat for commercial sale; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: It is up to Japan to regulate its whaling industry. I cannot comment on a potential criminal investigation in another country. We remain of the view that Japan's large-scale killing of whales, under the guise of 'scientific' research, is unnecessary and should stop.

Whales: Conservation

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to express to her Japanese counterpart the Government's policy to the resumption of commercial whaling by Japan; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: I attended the 62nd annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to express the UK Government's opposition to Japan's continued whaling.
	We will continue to make our position known to Japan at every appropriate opportunity and argue that Japanese whaling operations undermine the credibility of the IWC as an effective organisation for the conservation of cetaceans world-wide.

TREASURY

Child Trust Fund: Ashton-in-Makerfield

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many children in Makerfield constituency have received payments from the Child Trust Fund since its inception; and what steps he plans to take in respect of stakeholder accounts into which a child's parents or guardians have not paid a child trust fund voucher within one year of its issue.

Mark Hoban: Statistical Information about Child Trust Funds is published on HM Revenue and Customs' website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ctf/stats.htm
	The Government currently send a voucher to the parents or guardians of all eligible children so they can start a Child Trust Fund for their child. If the voucher is not used by its expiry date then HM Revenue and Customs opens an account on the child's behalf.
	On 24 May 2010 the Chancellor announced that the Government intend to reduce and then stop Government payments to Child Trust Fund accounts. More detail on the announcement can be read at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/chancellors-statement/ctf-announce-qa.pdf
	The 24 May announcement does not affect what happens where a child's parents or guardians have not used the voucher by its expiry date. HM Revenue and Customs will continue to open accounts for these children where vouchers have been issued.

Child Trust Fund: Harrow

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people living in  (a) Harrow West constituency and  (b) the London Borough of Harrow have a child trust fund.

Mark Hoban: Statistical information about Child Trust Funds is published on HM Revenue and Customs' website at
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ctf/stats.htm

Debts: Developing Countries

Andrew Gwynne: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to assess the effectiveness of operation of the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Act 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The Coalition Programme for Government stated "We will review what action can be taken against 'vulture funds'." The Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Act 2010 passed through Parliament in April and will mean that UK courts of law will no longer be used to pursue excessive claims against some of the poorest countries on their historic debts, ensuring that resources are available to tackle poverty. The sunset clause attached to this legislation requires that the Government review within a year whether or not to extend the Act.
	The Government are committed to ensuring that countries receive the full benefit of debt relief from all their creditors-bilateral and commercial. We support the World Bank's debt reduction facility that enables countries to buy back their commercial debt at a deep discount with donor support. We are also supporting the recently founded African legal support facility that provides legal advice to countries facing litigation.

Trade Unions

David Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to consult trade unions in  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies on cost reduction plans.

Justine Greening: The Government published its proposals for the spending review on 9 June: 'The Spending Review Framework' (Cm 7872). As part of this, the Government will consult at the sectoral level, to ensure that all issues are properly considered and priorities balanced against each other. Departments, including HM Treasury, will be asked to do this over the summer to inform the spending review.
	Officials from HM Treasury hold regular meetings with their recognised trade unions, and would consult them on any changes to terms and conditions of service.
	As neither the Asset Protection Agency nor the UK Debt Management Office currently recognises a trade union, those bodies intend to consult staff directly on any changes to terms and conditions of service arising from pay or pension reductions as a contribution to the Government's deficit reduction plans.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Tom Watson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to answer Question 295, on departmental official vehicles, tabled on 25 May 2010.

Justine Greening: The Treasury apologises for the delay in replying to the hon. Member and hopes to be in a position to reply shortly.

JUSTICE

Crime

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has for the new mechanism to prevent the proliferation of unnecessary new criminal offences.

Crispin Blunt: This Government are committed to ensuring that all new criminal offences are carefully examined to ensure that they are only added to the statute book where it is truly necessary. We are currently considering the detail as to how this mechanism will operate in practice.

Departmental Manpower

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many full-time equivalent staff at each Civil Service grade are employed in the private office of each Minister in his Department.

Kenneth Clarke: I am supported by a private office, which I inherited from my predecessor, of 12 full-time staff; one member of the senior civil service (pay band 1); and three staff at band A, three members of the fast stream, one band B, three staff at band C and one staff member at band D.
	Each of the three junior Ministers in the Ministry of Justice are supported by a private office of one band A member of staff, two either from the fast stream, band C or an equivalent grade, and one band D.
	The Minister of State for Policing and Criminal Justice reports jointly to me and to the Home Secretary. Private office support to him is supplied by the Home Office.
	The pay scales for each of these grades is as follows: SCS (pay band 1): £58,200 to £117,800; band A: £47,228 to £66,965; band B: £33,835 to £44,300; band C: £27,825 to £35,704; band D: £22,755 to £28,000.

Harassment: Armed Forces

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will assess the merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to make it an offence verbally to abuse a uniformed member of the armed forces.

Crispin Blunt: The Government are fully committed to fostering respect and support for our armed forces, in line with the Military Covenant. We deplore any form of verbal abuse of members of the armed services. However it would be a major step to make verbal abuse an offence where it does not involve harassment or violence or other criminal acts and have sufficient confidence in our armed forces that they need no such special protection. We therefore have no current plans to introduce such an offence.

Judges: North East

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost of providing accommodation to district judges in the North East region in the pursuit of their duties was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: There are 84 district judges in the HMCS north east region (which includes Yorkshire and the Humber). 66 are based in the county courts and there are 18 district judges in the magistrates courts who are termed district judges (magistrates courts).
	The district judges are accommodated in the relevant courthouses. As such, there is no additional cost incurred in providing accommodation to the district judges to carry out their duties, over and above the running expenses of the courts themselves. The running costs of the court buildings are not apportioned to individual members of the judiciary.
	In 2009-10 (the last period for which figures are available), £903 was spent on overnight accommodation costs for district judges sitting in the civil courts in the NORTH east. The chief magistrate's office incurred costs of £1,272.55 in the period from July 2009 to March 2010 (the period for which costs are available) on overnight accommodation costs for district judges (magistrates courts) in carrying out their duties. Of this sum, £765.01 related to prison adjudications.
	In response to increasing work load and other factors, from time to time court accommodation is extended. The last period for which figures are available is for the financial year 2009-10. In that period, a dedicated family hearing centre was established within the Bradford combined court centre. As part of that scheme, a sum of £3,500 was expended in the creation of a retiring/meeting room for district judges (the overall cost of the scheme was £187,500). At York county court, additional district judge chambers were created within the existing court building at a cost of £83,020.

Judges: North East

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what accommodation is available to district judges in the North East region.

Jonathan Djanogly: There are 84 District Judges in the county courts in the HMCS North East Region (which includes Yorkshire and the Humber). They are accommodated in the courts where they carry out their duties. District Judges in the civil courts usually conduct their duties in Chambers but, on occasions, will sit in open court.
	There are 18 District Judges in the magistrates courts in the HMCS North East Region. They are also accommodated in the courthouses where they carry out their duties. The vast majority of their duties will be carried out in open court in the courtroom. They will normally be provided with an office where they may undertake more confidential work such as considering applications for search warrants. Should any overnight accommodation be needed then District Judges will use commercial hotel accommodation for which they are entitled to claim reimbursement.

Legal Aid Scheme

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many independent social workers are owed payment by the Legal Services Commission for work carried out in financial year 2009-10; and how much is owed on average.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Legal Services Commission does not pay independent social workers directly. They are engaged by solicitors who can claim the cost as a disbursement on account. This means that the cost can be claimed at the time it is incurred rather than waiting for conclusion of a case. There is no record of the number or value of payments for independent social workers as the Legal Services Commission does not record details of individual disbursement payments.

Legal Aid Scheme

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much legal aid remains unpaid by the Legal Services Commission for work carried out in financial year 2009-10.

Jonathan Djanogly: It is not possible to give a precise answer to this question. At any one time the Legal Services Commission (LSC) has liabilities to legal service providers of around £900 million for work that has not yet been billed. These liabilities include work done on cases lasting a number of years, not just over the most recent financial period. The LSC's financial statements for 2009-10 are currently in preparation and the liabilities for work undertaken to 31 March 2010 will be identified and published in the LSC annual report and accounts 2009-10.

Legal Aid Scheme

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the Government plans to make an assessment of the effects on the legal aid budget of provision of legal aid in respect of cases of criminal offences created in legislation enacted between 1997 and 2010.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government have no plans to undertake an assessment of the effect on the legal aid budget of criminal offences created in legislation enacted during the period 1997 and 2010.
	However, the Government are conducting a review of existing criminal offences to identify those which serve no useful purpose and should be repealed in line with the commitment to roll back state intrusion. The Justice Secretary also intends to make a statement on reform of legal aid shortly.
	Since 2005-06, Government Departments have been expected to carry out a legal aid impact test on those policies that are likely to impact on the legal aid fund. Since April 2005, a total of £28.8 million has been transferred to the legal aid fund from other Government Departments on the basis of estimates agreed between Departments of the cost of new policies. Some legislation may have an impact on both the criminal and civil legal aid fund. It is not therefore possible to identify how much of the transfer relates solely to criminal offences.

Prisoners' Release: Reoffenders

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners on day release from category C prisons were charged with offences in each of the last two years for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the number of prisoners released on temporary licence (ROTL) of any kind from Category C prisons in the past two years who were recorded as charged with offences committed whilst so released.
	
		
			   Number of offenders 
			 2008 8 
			 2009 6 
			 The figures in this table have been drawn from live administrative data systems which may be amended at any time. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. These figures may change should any further offences relating to this period be identified and reported to NOMS. 
		
	
	In 2008 the total number of recorded ROTL failures, which includes any breach of the licence and not just offending, was small in relation to the number of licences granted. Of the 439,294 ROTL licences granted only 266 failures were reported. The published statistics can be found using the following link;
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/prisonand probation.htm

Prisoners' Release: Reoffenders

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the re-offending rate for prisoners released from  (a) each category of prison and  (b) young offender institutions were in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: Reoffending data by category of prison or by individual establishment is not currently produced. The Ministry of Justice is currently undertaking work to investigate whether meaningful data on the reoffending of former prisoners from individual institutions can be produced. It is our intention to publish some findings from this ongoing work in November 2010.
	The available data on reoffending following a custodial sentence is included as follows.
	Table 1 shows the actual rate of reoffending and frequency of reoffending for adults released from custody from the 2008 cohort, which is the latest period for which data is available.
	
		
			  Table 1: Reoffending rates for adult offenders released from custody in the first quarter of 2008 
			   Adults released from custody 
			 Number of offenders 16,099 
			 Actual reoffending rate 49.4 
			 Number of offences per 100 offenders 230.9 
		
	
	Juvenile reoffending covers offenders aged 17 and under. A release from custody could be from a Secure Training Centre, a Secure Children's Home or a Young Offender Institution. Data is not broken down by type of release establishment or by individual establishment.
	Table 2 shows the actual rate of reoffending and frequency of reoffending for juveniles released from custody from the 2008 cohort.
	
		
			  Table 2: Reoffending rates for juvenile offenders released from custody in the first quarter of 2008 
			   Juveniles released from custody 
			 Number of offenders 816 
			 Actual reoffending rate 74.3 
			 Number of offences per 100 offenders 342.5 
		
	
	Further information on adult reoffending is available at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/reoffendingofadults.htm
	Further information on juvenile reoffending is available at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/reoffendingjuveniles.htm

Prisons: Drugs

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department has taken to prevent the use of drugs among the prison population in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: The 2008-11 National Offender Management Service (NOMS) drug strategy has three key elements for prisons that interlink to reduce drug related offending and address individual need:
	reducing supply, through security measures and drug testing programmes;
	reducing demand, through targeted interventions for low, moderate and severe drug-misusers; and
	establishing effective through-care links to ensure continuity of treatment post-release in order to safeguard the gains made in custody.
	In early 2008 the then director general of NOMS commissioned David Blakey, former HM Inspector of Constabulary, to report on the effectiveness of the service's drug supply reduction work. His review 'Disrupting the Supply of Illicit Drugs into Prisons' was published in July 2008 and made 10 recommendations, all of which were accepted. Progress has been made in implementing them. This includes:
	instructing every prison to nominate a senior manager responsible for co-ordinating delivery of the local drug strategy at the prison;
	publishing a revised good practice guide to assist prisons in tackling drug supply routes and a new guide on tackling mobile phones;
	strengthening our relationship with Home Office Scientific Development Branch; and
	working more closely with law enforcement agencies.
	NOMS has in place a drug treatment framework, based on the National Treatment Agency's Models of Care, to address the needs of drug misusing prisoners. The interventions available are designed to meet the needs of low, moderate and severe drug misusers-irrespective of age, gender or ethnicity.
	Considerable improvements have been made in clinical drug treatment in prisons, in particular through the introduction of the Integrated Drug Treatment System (IDTS)-a treatment system, based on evidence, providing improved clinical management including prescribing and psychosocial interventions via multidisciplinary teams, particularly in the first 28 days of prison and also links with care and treatment services in the community.
	This Government believe that more can be done to cut drug related reoffending by overhauling the system of rehabilitation. We are considering how sentencing and treatment for drug use can help offenders to come off drugs once and for all. This includes the exploration of alternative secure treatment-based accommodation.

Prisons: Education

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) educational and  (b) vocational courses were not completed as a result of inter-prison moves in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: Data relating to the number of prisoners whose learning has been interrupted or stopped due to inter prison moves is not held centrally and it would not be possible to provide an answer without incurring a disproportionate cost.
	The National Offender Management Service work with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills as well as the Skills Funding Agency to minimise the effect of inter-prison moves on educational attainment. Since August 2009 a core curriculum has been introduced in all prisons to minimise the potential affect of such moves. In addition there is a requirement to make use of a new data exchange system to ensure information on prisoners' educational aims and achievements are available to the receiving prison on transfer.

Prisons: Religion

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what information his Department holds on the number of people who have converted to  (a) Islam,  (b) Christianity,  (c) Buddhism,  (d) Hinduism,  (e) Judaism and  (f) Sikhism whilst in prison in the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The data held centrally, as recorded on the prison IT system, only includes information on prisoners' current declared religion, not any previously declared religion. Therefore, it is not possible to identify how many prisoners have changed their religion while in prison.

Rape

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) arrests,  (b) trials and  (c) convictions for rape there were in (i) Hartlepool constituency, (ii) the North East and (iii) England in each of the last 10 years.

Crispin Blunt: The number of defendants proceeded against for rape (including attempted rape) and found guilty at all courts in the North East Government office region (GOR) and England 1999 to 2008 (latest available) is shown in the table.
	Court proceedings data are not available at parliamentary constituency level. Data are given in the table for Cleveland police force area in which the Hartlepool constituency is located.
	Court proceedings data for 2009 are planned for publication in October 2010.
	The information requested on arrests is not collected centrally. The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, broken down at a main offence group level, covering categories such as violence against the person and sexual offences. From these centrally reported data it is not possible to identify specific offences from within the main offence groups.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for rape( 1, 2) , North East Government office region (GOR), England ,  1999 to 2008( 3, 4) 
			   1999  2000  2001  2002 
			   Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 North East (GOR) 159 41 152 30 138 30 138 41 
			  which is comprised of the following police force areas: 
			 Cleveland 17 12 18 8 21 5 35 11 
			 Durham 29 6 40 3 38 3 39 5 
			 Northumbria 113 23 94 19 79 22 64 25 
			  
			 England 1,993 605 1,907 557 2,480 547 2,740 607 
		
	
	
		
			   2003  2004  2005 
			   Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 North East (GOR) 144 32 120 42 146 32 
			 which is comprised of the following police force areas:   
			 Cleveland 37 9 26 10 48 9 
			 Durham 25 1 35 9 36 8 
			 Northumbria 82 22 59 23 62 15 
			
			 England 2,641 634 2,491 707 2,682 761 
		
	
	
		
			   2006  2007  2008 
			   Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 North East (GOR) 141 50 117 51 122 47 
			  which is comprised of the following police force areas:   
			 Cleveland 41 18 35 23 34 10 
			 Durham 36 7 28 5 32 18 
			 Northumbria 64 25 54 23 56 19 
			
			 England 2,431 832 2,225 823 2,254 878 
			 (1) Includes: Rape and attempted rape of a female or male.  (2) Includes: Conspiracies, charges of participation in offences as accessories after the fact and charges of participation in offences by impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the offender.  (3) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.  (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.   Source:  Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice.

Rape: Cheshire

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of contested prosecutions for rape in Cheshire police force area resulted in a conviction in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The proportion of defendants tried at the Crown Court in the Chester police force area for rape (including attempted), who pleaded not guilty and who were found guilty, from 2004 to 2008 (latest available) is given in the following table.
	Court proceedings data for 2009 are planned for publication in October 2010.
	
		
			  Number of defendants tried at the Crown Court for rape( 1,2)  who pleaded not guilty, who were found guilty of rape, Cheshire police force area 2004 to 2008( 3,4) 
			   2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Total tried who pleaded not guilty 22 26 18 17 20 
			 Found guilty 10 4 5 5 12 
			 Conviction rate (%)(5) 45 15 28 29 60 
			 (1) Includes: Rape and attempted rape of a female or male. (2) Includes: Conspiracies, charges of participation in offences as accessories after the fact and charges of participation in offences by impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the offender. (3) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (5) Proportion of defendants tried who pleaded not guilty at the Crown Court who were found guilty.  Note:  As can be seen in the table, the conviction rate is based on data totals of less than 100. Conviction rates at this level can be easily affected, either up or down, by relatively minor changes in the base data used.  Source:  Justice Statistics Analytical Services in the Ministry of Justice

Rape: Victim Support Schemes

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effects on the provision of services by independent third sector rape crisis organisations of  (a) one,  (b) three,  (c) five and  (d) eight year funding cycles; and if he will ensure provision of long-term sustainable funding for such organisations.

Crispin Blunt: The Government have made a commitment to put funding arrangements for rape crisis centres on a stable, long-term footing.
	The Government Equalities Office has commissioned an independent evaluation of the grant funding it allocated to rape crisis centres in 2008-09 and 2009-10. It has also commissioned independent research on the stability and sustainability of voluntary-sector organisations that support female victims of violence, including sexual violence. The findings of these studies, which will inform an assessment of the various funding models, will be published in due course.

Rape: Victim Support Schemes

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice by what means funding will be provided for independent third sector rape crisis organisations from April 2011.

Crispin Blunt: The Government recognise the crucial support that rape crisis centres provide to victims of rape and other forms of sexual violence. The Coalition Agreement included a commitment to give such centres stable, long-term funding, and this commitment remains a priority for the Government. Work to develop a funding model will be carried out in conjunction with the comprehensive spending review. No final decisions will be made until the autumn, when the results of the spending review are announced.

Rape: Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) prosecutions and  (b) convictions for rape there were in Warrington in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: Court proceedings data are not available at parliamentary constituency level. Data are given in the table for Cheshire police force area 2004 to 2008 (latest available) in which the Warrington constituency is located.
	Court proceedings data for 2009 are planned for publication in October 2010.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts for rape( 1,2 ) Cheshire police force area 2004 to 2008( 3,4) 
			   2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Proceeded against 37 45 36 29 33 
			 Found guilty 13 12 21 13 27 
			 (1) Includes: rape and attempted rape of a female or male. (2) Includes: conspiracies, charges of participation in offences as accessories after the fact and charges of participation in offences by impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the offender. (3) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented ace accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services in the Ministry of Justice

Victim Support Schemes: Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much funding his Department has allocated to victim support organisations in Warrington in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice provided funding of £36.2 million to Victim Support in 2009-10 to support their work across England and Wales. Victim Support spend on support to victims and witnesses in Warrington for this period was £107,993.
	In the financial year 2010-11, the Ministry of Justice and the Government Equalities Office awarded the Rape and Sexual Assault Support Centre (Cheshire and Merseyside) a grant of £41,269. This organisation provides support to victims of rape and sexual violence across the region.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Domestic Violence

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Attorney-General what steps he plans to take to increase the rate of prosecution in cases of domestic violence.

Edward Garnier: I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer I provided to the question from the hon. Member for Gateshead (Iain Mearns) earlier today.

Rape Defendants: Anonymity

Mary Creagh: To ask the Attorney-General what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the effect on the Crown Prosecution Service of the Government's proposals to extend anonymity to defendants in rape cases.

Caroline Flint: To ask the Attorney-General what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the effect on the Crown Prosecution Service of the Government's proposals to extend anonymity to defendants in rape cases.

Edward Garnier: I have discussions with ministerial colleagues on a range of issues. Rape is a crime of the utmost seriousness and a careful analysis of the options and implications will be undertaken.

Human Trafficking: Prosecutions

Peter Bone: To ask the Attorney General if he will undertake a review of the effectiveness of prosecution policy in cases involving human trafficking.

Edward Garnier: I have no plans to review the effectiveness of prosecution policy in human trafficking cases.
	The Crown Prosecution Service has comprehensive guidance for prosecutors to ensure that decisions in human trafficking cases are taken in line with the principles in the Code for Crown Prosecutors, taking account of the particular factors which are relevant in human trafficking cases. However, if my hon. Friend has any specific concerns I invite him to write to me.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Emissions: Departmental Coordination

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much pooled funding is available to support cross-departmental co-operation on building a low carbon economy.

Gregory Barker: While there is no pooled funding specifically to support cross-departmental co-operation, departments work together closely on policies to support the move to a low carbon economy. For example, the low carbon element of the Strategic Investment Fund-which provides targeted support for the development of a number of key low carbon sectors-is managed jointly by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). A high-level group of senior officials has also recently been established to promote more effective cross departmental working on building a low carbon economy.

Departmental Grants

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for what capital grant schemes his Department is responsible.

Gregory Barker: The Department is responsible for the following capital grant schemes:
	Warm Front
	Low Carbon Buildings Programme
	Boiler Scrappage Scheme
	Anaerobic Digestion Demonstration Programme
	Bioenergy Capital Grants Scheme
	Bioenergy Infrastructure Scheme
	Carbon Abatement Technologies (CAT) Demonstration Programme
	Carbon Trust Applied Research Grants
	Central Government Low Carbon Technology Programme
	Deep Geothermal Challenge Fund
	Home Energy Pay As You Save Programme
	Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Demonstration Programme
	Low Carbon Communities Challenge
	Marine Renewables Deployment Fund
	Marine Renewables Proving Fund
	Off-shore Wind Demonstrators
	Smart Grid Demonstration Fund

Departmental Manpower

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many  (a) front-line and  (b) other staff were employed by (i) his Department and (ii) each of its agencies in the latest year for which figures are available; and what his most recent estimate is of the annual cost to the public purse of employing staff of each type in his Department.

Gregory Barker: The numbers of staff employed by the Department in 2009-10 (subject to audit) are:
	55 full-time equivalent front line staff at a cost of £4 million
	1,003 full-time equivalent other staff at a cost of £5 8 million.
	The Department has no agencies.

Industrial Diseases: Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his most recent estimate is of the cost to the public purse of payments by his Department to solicitors and claims handlers under the coal health compensation scheme.

Charles Hendry: The total amount the Department has paid claimants' representatives under the coal health compensation schemes for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and vibration white finger (VWF) is shown in the following table as at 13 June 2010:
	
		
			  Claim type  Claimants representatives costs 
			 COPD £1.028 billion 
			 VWF £187.2 million 
			 Overall total c.£1.215 billion

River Severn: Tidal Power

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the prospects for harnessing energy from the Severn estuary;
	(2)  when he expects the Severn Tidal feasibility study to report.

Gregory Barker: We are currently considering the recommendations from the Severn Tidal Power Feasibility Study and expect to report our conclusions shortly.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Gender Recognition: Human Rights

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what assessment she has made of the recommendations for Council of Europe member states on human rights and gender identity made by the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights on 29 July 2009; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: This Government are committed to supporting transgender equality. On 18 June the Prime Minister launched Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality, which sets out a clear programme of work to combat homophobia and transphobia. In it we give a clear commitment to work with transgender groups to develop a Government Action Plan on Transgender Equality, which we will publish in 2011.
	As part of the growing body of work on transgender rights, the Government believe the issue paper published by the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights on human rights and gender identity is a valuable contribution to the discussion on transgender rights in Europe. We also welcome the paper's recognition of the UK's work on equality for transsexual people as an exemplar to other member states. We will bear the Commissioner's recommendations in mind as we develop our Action Plan on Transgender Equality.

PRIME MINISTER

Gulf of Mexico: Oil

Gordon Banks: To ask the Prime Minister whether he has had discussions with the  (a) directors and  (b) chief executive of BP on the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the press briefing given by my official spokesman on 16 June 2010. A transcript is available on the No 10 website at:
	http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/press-briefings/2010/06/afernoon-press-briefing-from-16-june-2010-51959

Members: Correspondence

John Baron: To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to reply to the letter to his predecessor of 20 April 2010 from the hon. Member for Billericay on Visteon.

David Cameron: My hon. Friend is resending the letter which was sent prior to the election and I will happily answer.

HOME DEPARTMENT

101 Calls

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to develop a national 101 non-emergency telephone number; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: The '101' telephone number is currently used as a non-emergency number for reporting crime and anti-social behaviour in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Sheffield and across Wales. The Government recognises the importance of easy access to public services and will consider options for the future of the '101' telephone number in due course.

Alcoholic Drinks: Crime

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many charges of  (a) all individuals and  (b) individuals under the age of 18 years relating to alcohol-related anti-social behaviour were made (i) nationally, (ii) in the East Midlands and (iii) in Leicester in each of the last five years.

Nick Herbert: The court proceedings database does not contain information on charging.

Animal Experiments

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects the prohibition on testing of household products on animals to come into force; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government are committed to ending the testing of household products on animals. Work is under way to define the range of products affected and to determine how this can best be achieved. I am not yet in a position to confirm when such testing will be finally brought to an end, but hope to be able to do so shortly.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Young People

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued  (a) in total and  (b) to individuals under the age of 18 years (i) nationally, (ii) in the East Midlands and (iii) in Leicester in each of the last five years.

Nick Herbert: The total number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued at all courts in England and Wales, the East Midlands Government Office Region and the Leicestershire Criminal Justice System (CJS) area, in each year between 2003 and 2007 (latest available) broken down by age group, is shown in the table. The next set of data is to be published shortly.
	ASBO data collected centrally by the Ministry of Justice are not compiled below Criminal Justice System (CJS) area level.
	
		
			  The number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued all courts( 1)  in England and Wales, the East Midlands Government Office Region (GOR)( 2)  and the Leicestershire Criminal Justice System (CJS) area, by age group( 3) , 2003-07 
			   Area 
			   England and Wales  East Midlands GOR  Leicestershire CJS area 
			   10 to 17  18+  n/k( 3)  All ages  10 to 17  18+  n/k( 3)  All ages  10 to 17  18+  n/k( 3)  All ages 
			 2003 628 713 8 1,349 28 31 1 60 8 7 - 15 
			 2004 1,340 2,086 53 3,479 67 162 4 233 12 32 1 45 
			 2005 1,581 2,469 72 4,122 131 171 7 309 29 40 2 71 
			 2006 1,053 1,625 27 2,705 70 109 4 183 10 29 3 42 
			 2007 920 1,362 17 2,299 65 103 - 168 12 18 - 30 
			 (1) Includes ASBOs issued on application by magistrates courts acting in their civil capacity and county courts, which became available on 1 April 1999 and ASBOs made following conviction for a relevant criminal offence at the Crown Court and at magistrates courts (acting in their criminal capacity), which became available on 2 December 2002. (2) The East Midlands Government Office Region (GOR) is comprised of the Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire Criminal Justice System areas. (3) n/k indicates that the defendants' ages were not reported to the Ministry of Justice.  Notes: 1. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 2. Previously issued data have been revised.  Source: Prepared by Justice Statistics Analytical Services

Association of Chief Police Officers

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations she has received on the future structure, role and powers of the Association of Chief Police Officers.

Nick Herbert: The Government are looking at all aspects of policing as part of their commitment to protecting the pubic and delivering policing in the most efficient way. This will include looking at the contribution made by the Association of Chief Police Officers. No decisions have yet been taken on its future role and we are consulting fully with the ACPO leadership.

Asylum: Families

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for family reunion were made by dependants of refugees and people granted humanitarian protection in the UK under Part 11 of the immigration rules in each of the last five years; and how many of those applications were  (a) granted,  (b) refused and  (c) granted on appeal in each such year.

Damian Green: The number of entry clearance applications in the family reunion category, from dependants of those granted refugee status or humanitarian protection, which were (a) received (b) approved (c) refused and (d) approved following a successful appeal, is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Applications  Issued  Refused  Issued after appeal 
			 2005 7,846 7,740 1,052 7 
			 2006 6,092 5,283 877 25 
			 2007 5,247 4,497 1,084 35 
			 2008 5,577 3,632 1,364 44 
			 2009 5,983 4,212 2,306 56 
			  Source: Central Reference System Date: 17 June 2010 Management Information, as such it has not been quality assured.

Asylum: Families

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether dependants of refugees and people granted humanitarian protection in the UK applying for family reunion under Part 11 of the immigration rules will be subject to the new English language requirement announced on 9 June 2010.

Damian Green: On 9 June 2010, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced a new language requirement for those seeking entry to the UK as either a spouse or civil partner, fiancé or proposed civil partner, unmarried partner or same sex partner of a British citizen or someone who is present and settled in the UK.
	The new language requirement will not apply to dependants of refugees and people granted humanitarian protection in the UK applying for family reunion under Part 11 of the immigration rules.

Asylum: Families

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether dependants of refugees and people granted humanitarian protection in the UK applying for family reunion under Part 11 of the immigration rules will be included in the Government's proposal to introduce an annual limit on the numbers of non-EU migrants.

Damian Green: The annual limit will apply only to non-EU economic migrants admitted into the UK to live and work. There are no plans to apply the limit to dependants of refugees and people granted humanitarian protection in the UK applying for family reunion under Part 11 of the immigration rules.

British Nationality: War Crimes

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what offences had been committed by the 21 people from Sri Lanka refused UK citizenship in 2008 and 2009 on the grounds of involvement in war crimes;
	(2)  what offences had been committed by the 13 people from Afghanistan refused UK citizenship in 2008 and 2009 on the grounds of involvement in war crimes;
	(3)  what offences were committed by the 13 people from Iraq refused UK citizenship in 2008 and 2009 on the grounds of involvement in war crimes.

Damian Green: A person may be refused citizenship if they are unable to satisfy the requirement to be of good character. There are a variety of considerations taken into account when assessing an applicant's character for the purposes of naturalisation. If an applicant has been associated with an organisation known to have been involved in the commission of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide, this would cast doubt on their character and their application would be refused. This does not necessarily mean that these individuals have been convicted of an offence, simply that their behaviour or associations casts doubt on their good character.

Community Policing

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to consult on accountability of community safety partnerships as outlined in the Safer, Confident Neighbourhoods Strategy.

Nick Herbert: The programme set out in the coalition agreement explains our approach to crime and policing, including making the police more accountable to the public through various means including the introduction of directly elected individuals. We are considering these proposals and any consideration of consultation on strengthening the accountability of community safety partnerships will need to be considered alongside them. We will involve key partners in taking this forward.

Community Policing: Wales

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she next expects to meet Welsh Assembly Government Ministers to discuss progress on the Safe and Confident Neighbourhoods Strategy.

Nick Herbert: I will be meeting in due course with Ministers from the devolved Administrations about policing and criminal justice system reform.

Crime

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment the Government has made of the relative accuracy of each of the methods used to measure levels of crime.

Theresa May: holding answer 14 June 2010
	The next annual statistical bulletin on crime is pre-announced to be published by the Home Office on 15 July 2010, and as in previous years will include an assessment of the accuracy of sources of information on crime.
	The UK Statistics Authority published on 24 May its assessment report Overcoming Barriers to Trust in Crime Statistics: England and Wales which contains six recommendations. This included calling for the creation of "a free-standing guide that explains the strengths and limitations of the different types of crime data". The various sets of statistics are based on different data sources and coverage (in other words they do not measure the same things) and involve collection methods which have evolved over the years making comparisons difficult.
	The public must have full, accurate and independently produced information if we are to restore confidence in the statistics and drive effective action to tackle crime. We are currently reviewing how crime statistics should be collected and published in future and will make further announcements in due course.

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) plasma and  (b) LCD televisions there are in Ministerial offices in her Department.

Nick Herbert: There are six LCD televisions in ministerial offices in the Home Office and eight LCD televisions in their outer offices-the same number as under the previous Government.

Departmental Manpower

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 10 June 2010,  Official Report, column 226W, on departmental manpower, what the salary range is for staff members employed at each pay band in each ministerial private office in her Department.

Nick Herbert: In the Home Office each grade has its own salary band. The salary bands for those grades of staff employed within each ministerial private office are set out in the following table. Staff may be at any salary point within the pay band quoted for their grade.
	
		
			   £ 
			 Grade 5 (SCS) 58,200-117,800 
			 Grade 7 46,506-57,553 
			 SEO 33,953-39,537 
			 SIO 36,452-42,447 
			 HEO(D) 26,885-33,953 
			 HEO 26,345-30,989 
			 EO 21,073-24,789 
			 AO 16,518-18,657

Departmental Mobile Phones

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Ministers in her Department have been issued with  (a) a Blackberry,  (b) an iPhone,  (c) another make of mobile telephone and (d) a personal digital assistant supplied by the Department.

Nick Herbert: Six BlackBerrys and two mobile phones have been issued to Ministers in the Home Office. We do not issue iPhones or personal digital assistants.

Departmental Official Residences

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any domestic properties in the gift of the Government have been allocated to the use of Ministers in her Department.

Nick Herbert: No Home Ministers in the Home Office have been allocated a residence.

Departmental Pay

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was paid in bonuses to civil servants in her Department in 2009-10.

Nick Herbert: An element of the overall pay award for the Home Office is allocated to non-consolidated variable pay related to performance. These payments are used to drive high performance and form part of the pay award for members of staff who demonstrate exceptional performance, for example by exceeding targets set of meeting challenging objectives.
	Non-consolidated variable pay awards are funded from within existing pay bill controls and have to be re-earned each year against pre-determined targets and, as such, do not add to future pay bill and pension costs. The percentage of the pay bill set aside for performance-related awards for the senior civil service is based on the recommendations of the independent senior salaries review body.
	Non-consolidated end-of-year performance payments made in the 2009-10 financial year (in relation to the 2008-09 performance year) amounted to £5.69 million, (approx 0.69% of the pay bill 2009-10). Up to 0.3% of the pay bill is allocated for non-consolidated special payments to reward exceptional in-year performance. In the 2009-10 financial year this amounted to £1.39 million, less than 0.2% of salary costs.

Departmental Reviews

Andrew Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2010,  Official Report, column 137W, on Government departments: reviews, what reviews her Department is undertaking; and what the  (a) purpose and  (b) timescale of each is.

Nick Herbert: I refer the hon. Member to the previous answer given by the right hon. Member for North West Hampshire (Sir George Young) on 8 June 2010,  Official Report, column 137W. My Department will bring forward detailed information about these reviews in due course.

Departmental Translation Services

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what  (a) documents and  (b) other information for which (i) her Department and (ii) its associated public bodies are responsible are published or provided in the UK in languages other than English; for what reason each such publication is required to be made available in a language or languages other than English; and what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the translation work so incurred in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Herbert: Providing translated information where it will assist the public to access information and provide help and support is always considered when producing publications.
	The Welsh Language Act (1993) is complied with when communicating with citizens of Wales.
	We are unable to provide information about the number of translated publications or the costs incurred through translation work on the grounds of disproportionate cost.

Deportation: Offenders

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the written ministerial statement of 25 April 2006,  Official Report, columns 37-38WS, on deportation and removal of foreign nationals, how many of the 1,023 foreign national criminals released from prison referred to in the statement are unaccounted for.

Damian Green: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 16 June 2010,  Official Report, column 432W.

Detention Centres: Children

Mark Spencer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of children detained for immigration purposes in  (a) 1997 and  (b) the latest year for which figures are available.

Damian Green: holding answer 21 June 2010
	The requested information is not available. The published statistics on persons detained as at specific dates in 1997 related to asylum applicants only and did not separately identify children.
	The latest published statistics show there were 30 people detained solely under Immigration Act powers recorded as being less than 18 years of age as at 31 March 2010. In 2009, 1,065 children entered detention solely under Immigration Act powers; this information was published for the first time in 2009.
	This information relating to 2010 is available in tables 3.5 to 3.8 of the Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom, January to March 2010 and the information relating to 2009 is available in table 9.2 of the Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom, October to December 2009 available in the Library of the House and the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	I recently announced a review into the detention of children for asylum purposes so it can be brought to an end this summer. We have already ended the overnight detention of children at Dungavel.

Homicide: Cumbria

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) on the composition of the ACPO peer review group on the shooting in Cumbria; what information her Department holds on  (a) the membership of the panel and  (b) the date on which the review will be completed; and if she will arrange for the report of the review to be laid before Parliament when published.

Nick Herbert: The Home Secretary has discussed with the ACPO President, Sir Hugh Orde, the peer reviews into the tragic events in Cumbria requested by the chief constable of Cumbria Constabulary, Craig Mackey. There will be three peer reviews covering firearms licensing, the firearms response and the firearms tactics and manual. The reviews will be led by the respective ACPO leads for these business areas.
	Terms of reference and timescales are currently being agreed. The reports will be made public and I will ensure they are made available to the House.

Identity Cards

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in Bexleyheath and Crayford have purchased an identity card.

Damian Green: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 16 June 2010,  Official Report, column 434W.

Marriage: Homosexuality

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward proposals to enable gay people to marry;

Lynne Featherstone: I have been asked to reply.
	Currently, same-sex couples can enter a civil partnership under the Civil Partnership Act 2004 which gives them the opportunity to obtain legal recognition of their relationship. Couples who register their civil partnerships gain vital rights and protections, similar to married couples. Civil partnership registrations are entirely secular in nature and, as with civil marriage, prohibited from taking place on religious premises, or containing any religious language. An amendment made to the Equality Act 2010 removed the express prohibition on civil partnerships taking place on religious premises.
	This Government are committed to supporting civil partnerships. This week, the Prime Minister launched Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality, an ambitious programme of work to tackle outdated prejudices and ensure equal chances for everyone, whatever their sexual orientation or gender identity. It contains a commitment to talk to those with a key interest in this issue about what the next stage should be for civil partnerships, including how some religious organisations can allow same-sex couples the opportunity to register their relationship in a religious setting if they wish to do so.

Members: Correspondence

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 9 June 2010 from the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle on crime statistics.

Theresa May: holding answer 21 June 2010
	I have replied to the letter in question. I refer you to my letter of 17 June 2010.

PCSOs: Certificate in Policing

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to develop an accreditation scheme for police community support officers under the Safe and Confident Neighbourhood Strategy document of February 2010.

Nick Herbert: The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) and Skills for Justice have written to Chief Officers and Force Training Managers announcing the introduction of the new qualification/accreditation for Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) in England and Wales. The Level 3 Certificate in Policing (Police Community Support Officers) is a non-mandatory and national qualification for PCSOs.

Police Authorities

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the presumed hours of work are for remunerated  (a) chairs and  (b) vice-chairs of police authorities.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 16 June 2010
	The Home Office does not set or monitor hours of work for chairs or vice-chairs of police authorities.

Police: Bureaucracy

Richard Harrington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on the annual proportion of time spent by police officers on administrative tasks.

Nick Herbert: Since the election, my ministerial colleagues and I have had several discussions with a range of policing partners on the need to reduce bureaucracy for the police service. The Government are clear that the police should focus on police work not paperwork, and the Home Office is now engaged in a programme of action to deliver this commitment.
	The introduction of directly-elected individuals will release police forces from centrally imposed burdens, making the police accountable to the right people-the public they serve. We will reform the performance management framework for policing, to let the police get on with their jobs as professionals.
	We will support greater professional responsibility, enabling officers to use their discretion to decide how incidents are dealt with, how crimes are actually recorded and we will take action to return charging decisions for minor offences to police officers. RIPA and PACE processes will be reviewed to see where we can minimise the bureaucracy involved. We also propose to amend the health and safety rules that can prevent police officers from intervening and protecting the public.
	We will cut red-tape, and are working to identify those processes that are unnecessarily time-consuming for police officers and support staff. This includes looking at those processes in the wider Criminal Justice System that generate bureaucracy for police officers. We have already announced our intention to scrap the Stop and Search form and we will look at how we can maximise the use of technology to further reduce the paperwork in policing.

Police: Bureaucracy

Mark Spencer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on the amount of time spent by police officers on paperwork each year.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 21 June 2010
	 Since the election, my ministerial colleagues and I have had several discussions with a range of policing partners on the need to reduce bureaucracy for the police service. The Government are clear that the police should focus on police work not paperwork, and the Home Office is now engaged in a programme of action to deliver this commitment.

Police: Essex

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department holds information on the number of  (a) officials at each grade in Essex Police Authority and  (b) officers of each rank in Essex police who have left their posts voluntarily other than through redundancy since December 2009.

Nick Herbert: Data since December 2009 are unavailable until headline figures are published on 22 July 2010.
	The Home Office does not collect data about officials of the Police Authority.

Police: Finance

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding her Department plans to provide to each police authority in the next two years; what mechanism is used to determine the allocation of funding to police authorities; what recent assessment she has made of the value for money of expenditure on police authorities; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: The funding settlement for 2011-12 and 2012-13 will not be decided until after the comprehensive spending review.
	Police authorities receive a main grant plus several specific grants from the Home Office. The amount of main grant a police authority receives is based on the needs of its force relative to other forces. This is calculated using the Police Allocation Formula. Police authorities also receive grants for specific purposes such as the neighbourhood policing fund. Details of these can be found in the CIPFA police accounts at:
	www.cipfastats.net
	The Government are committed to introducing directly elected individuals to hold the police to account; to replace bureaucratic accountability with democratic accountability. This will help ensure that the public have a direct say in how their money is spent so they get the best value from their policing.

Police: Funding

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effect on policing of the reduction of her Department's funding allocation for 2010-11; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 17 June 2010
	Core Government funding to the police will be reduced by £125 million. Each force will have its core Government funding in 2010-11 reduced by the same percentage. This reduction is less than 1 per cent of expected total police spending in 2010-11.
	The Government's priority is to cut the budget deficit and get the economy moving again. That means the police will have to bear a fair share of the burden, helped by £100 million of savings already identified for this year on areas including procurement and IT. I am quite clear that this saving can be achieved by driving out wasteful spending, reducing bureaucracy and increasing efficiency in key functions, whilst leaving the frontline of policing strong and secure. The Home Office has protected the frontline by cutting a greater than proportionate share of its own central budget.
	In addition to the £125 million, Government funding for counter terrorism policing will be reduced by £10 million. The £10 million savings package is taken from a £5 million reduction in the Metropolitan Police Services' Counter Terrorism Specific Grant and a £5 million reduction in the Counter Terrorism Specific Grant for local and regional counter terrorism capabilities. This was agreed following discussion with senior police officers to ensure that there would be no adverse impact on frontline delivery of CT policing. In 2010-11 there will be £569 million available for counter terrorism policing.

Police: Sick Leave

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many police officers in each police authority were  (a) reassigned duties and  (b) retired after a period of more than one year of unpaid sick leave in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many police officers in each police authority are on long-term sick leave without pay.

Nick Herbert: The information is not collected centrally.

Powers of Entry

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many regulations permitting forcible entry without a warrant there were at the end of  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2007.

Nick Herbert: There were 99 regulations made under statutory instrument to allow entry without a warrant at the end of 1997 and 327 regulations by the end of 2007.
	Forcible entry is not permitted without a warrant. If an occupier refuses entry a warrant to permit forcible entry would need to be obtained to exercise 81 of the powers introduced between 1997 and 2007 and nine powers that existed before 1997.

Royal Family: Electronic Surveillance

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department takes to protect the  (a) electronic and  (b) telephonic communications of the royal family.

Nick Herbert: It is Home Office policy not to comment on the protective security arrangements for any individuals or groups of people. Disclosure of such information could compromise the integrity of those arrangements and affect the security of the individuals concerned.

Seasonal Agricultural Workers' Scheme

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of her Department's annual expenditure on administering schemes for the admission of temporary farm workers to the UK.

Damian Green: The total cost of administering the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Scheme (SAWS) in 2009-10 was £123,000.

Security Guards: Licensing

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants for licences as security operatives have been refused a licence by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) on grounds of inadequate command of English in each of the last five years; and what criteria are applied by the SIA in determining whether an applicant has a sufficient command of English.

Lynne Featherstone: An English Language requirement is not a specific Security Industry Authority (SIA) licensing requirement. However, the training and examinations which must be completed to obtain an SIA licence are delivered and assessed in English.

Security Guards: Licensing

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants for licences as security operatives have been refused a licence by the Security Industry Association (SIA) on grounds of conviction for offences committed while juveniles in each of the last five years; what criteria are applied by the SIA when deciding whether such an offence should debar an applicant from being licensed; and whether account is taken of  (a) youth,  (b) subsequent clean record and  (c) successful subsequent career, such as exemplary service in the armed forces.

Lynne Featherstone: Information on numbers of applicants refused a licence by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) based upon juvenile convictions is not held centrally by the SIA and cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost.
	The SIA publishes its licensing criteria in "Get Licensed". Section 7 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 requires the licensing criteria to be approved by the Secretary of State. A copy has been placed in the House Library and can be found on the SIA's website at:
	http://www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/Documents/licensing/sia_get_licensed.pdf
	The SIA carries out a criminal record check which takes into account convictions, warnings, cautions, absolute/conditional discharges, admonishment or charges awaiting trial for offence. The age of applicants at the time of offence is taken into account. Offences committed from the age of 10 up to 12 are considered spent unless they relate to offences that were considered serious, as defined by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. Offences committed from the age of 12 up to 15 will be considered spent unless included in a longer list of serious offences set out in "Get Licensed". Offences taken into account are subject to assessment in accordance with the SIA's published criteria.
	The SIA also take into account the time since sentence restrictions ended, and subsequent clean record of an applicant. They also consider additional factors in certain cases, inviting applicants to submit mitigating evidence to support their application. Decisions are made on a case by case basis.

Security Guards: Licensing

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account the Security Industry Association takes of findings of Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks in determining whether an applicant for a licence as a security operative is granted; and what substitute is used for CRB checks in the case of applicants from  (a) Iraq,  (b) Pakistan,  (c) Afghanistan and  (d) other overseas countries.

Lynne Featherstone: To qualify for a licence all applicants to the Security Industry Authority (SIA) need to pass a criminal record check. The information resulting from Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) disclosure is assessed by the SIA in accordance with the licensing criteria set out in the SIA's publication "Get Licensed".
	Section 7 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 requires the licensing criteria to be approved by the Secretary of State. A copy has been placed in the House Library and can be found on the SIA's website at:
	http://www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/Documents/licensing/sia_get_licensed.pdf
	Having a criminal record does not automatically mean that the applicant will not get a licence. If an applicant has any convictions, warnings, cautions, absolute/conditional discharges, admonishments or charges awaiting trial for offences, the SIA will make a decision whether to grant or refuse a licence according to whether the offences are included in the list of offences in "Get Licensed". They will consider the seriousness of an offence, and the date of conviction. They will also consider additional factors in certain cases, inviting applicants to submit mitigating evidence to support their application.
	All applicants who have lived overseas for six continuous months or more during the last five years must produce evidence of a criminal record check covering that period from an official source from the country they lived in. An official source will normally mean the Government body that issues criminal record certificates. Further details of how the SIA deals with overseas criminal records can be found on their website at:
	http://www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/Pages/Step-By-Step .aspx?page=Pages/licensing-overseas-checks.aspx
	The website contains specific guidance on how criminality checks should be obtained from individual countries, including Iraq and Pakistan. For Afghanistan applicants are referred to their embassy in the first instance. If they are unable to obtain an overseas criminal records certificate (OCC) then they may be eligible for the sworn oath process.

Security Guards: Licensing

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason the Security Industry Authority makes donation of a percentage of profits to charity a condition for the awarding of Approved Contract or Status to firms which apply for it.

Lynne Featherstone: Charitable donations are not a requirement to achieve approval under the Security Industry Authority's (SIA's) Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS).
	The ACS is a voluntary scheme for private security sector suppliers. To achieve ACS status, companies are independently assessed against a set of operational and performance standards. 'Corporate Social Responsibility' is one of the standards required for ACS approval. An approved contractor is required to demonstrate that it actively manages the impact of its services on society. Individual companies may choose to donate to charity as one of the ways they fulfil this requirement.
	Further information about the conditions of the ACS are on the SIA's website at:
	http://www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/Pages/acs-intro.aspx

Security Guards: Licensing

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what machinery the Security Industry Association (SIA) has in place to enable firms which discover that individuals with SIA licences have political allegiances to hostile movements or regimes to report these with a view to the cancellation of such licences.

Lynne Featherstone: The SIA can take a wide range of information into account in considering whether an individual is a fit and proper person to hold a licence. The SIA's published guidance, "Get Licensed", notes that this can include evidence of relevant criminal association or activity that is likely to bring the industry into disrepute.
	There are a number of routes through which firms can pass on information relating to SIA licence holders, such as by contacting:
	Crimestoppers, with whom the SIA work in close partnership;
	The SIA's website, which has an on-line reporting mechanism. This includes a confidentiality policy and specific questions to ensure the information is of the highest quality, and
	http://www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/Pages/enforcement-reporting.aspx
	The SIA directly or through their contact centre in Liverpool 0844 892 1025; and,
	Though the SIA's partners, including the police.

Special Constables

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will encourage police forces in England to make greater use of special constables.

Nick Herbert: The special constabulary is an important and cost effective resource in policing. The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) is committed to supporting the special constabulary and increasing its numbers across England and Wales. The NPIA created nine regional co-ordinator posts to help police forces increase numbers and improve retention rates within their respective force areas. In particular, they are working in partnership with forces to develop effective marketing and recruitment strategies and to implement the national strategy for the special constabulary. This includes a best practice approach to the tasking and deployment of special constables. I spoke at the NPIA special constables awards on 17 June 2010 and expressed a desire to boost recruitment of special constables, and am considering ways to achieve this.

Telephone Tapping

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of telephone  (a) hacking and  (b) blagging have been investigated since 6 May 2010.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office has not had any incidents of telephone hacking or blagging reported since 6 May 2010.

Terrorism: Stop and Search

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 10 June 2010, on stop-and-search authorisation,  Official Report, columns 23-28WS, how many individuals have been charged with offences when stopped under an unlawful section 44 power since 19 February 2001; and what steps she plans to take in respect of those charged and convicted under those powers.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office has written to the chief constables of those forces which were identified as having erroneous section 44 authorisations and we await their replies. The chief constables have been requested to provide details of any actions arising from these stop and searches. As indicated in my written ministerial statement on 10 June 2010,  Official Report, columns 23-28WS, the forces concerned have also been requested to provide details of "how many individuals were stopped and searched in the periods of invalid authorisations". The Home Secretary has indicated that she will report back to the House as necessary.

Vetting

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has for the elimination of need for British citizens who have successfully been Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checked in respect of one area of activity to be CRB-checked for other areas of activity; and whether the concept of a portable CRB clearance is to be introduced in the near future.

Lynne Featherstone: A criminal records disclosure provides an employer or volunteer organiser who is considering placing an individual in an eligible post with current criminal records and related information. As such the information contained on it is valid at the time the disclosure is issued and in the case of any local police information, will be that information considered relevant for a particular position.
	A disclosure certificate is a sensitive document and is restricted from being passed between organisations by the terms of Part V of the Police Act 1997 subject to certain exemptions, primarily where the applicant has provided their consent.
	The Criminal Records Bureau is considering the feasibility of updating criminal records information provided to employers and others. The Government have announced its intention to review the criminal records regime. Terms of reference are currently being developed and this issue will be taken into account.

Zakir Naik

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will refuse an entry visa to Mr Zakir Naik.

Damian Green: holding answer 8 June 2010
	I can confirm that on 16 June my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary personally made the decision to exclude Dr Naik from the UK on the grounds that his presence in the UK was not conducive to the public good. Numerous comments made by Dr Naik are evidence of his unacceptable behaviour.
	As a result of the exclusion, Dr Naik's visit visa to the UK has been cancelled.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing: Construction

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure the provision of additional affordable housing in  (a) Manchester,  (b) Trafford and  (c) Wythenshawe and Sale East constituency.

Grant Shapps: We are committed to the provision of affordable housing and are reviewing budgets across all CLG and HCA programmes. The position will be clarified in the Budget on 22 June 2010.
	However it will up to the local authorities to determine the level of provision of affordable housing in their respective areas based on financial incentives to authorities who approve planning for houses.

Community Development: North East

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the future of Tees Valley Unlimited.

Bob Neill: I am aware that Tees Valley has progressed well as a partnership and that this month its leadership board agreed a focused 'Statement of Ambition' covering its core priorities for the future. My Department will continue to work closely with Tees Valley Unlimited and will discuss the possibility of it becoming a local enterprise partnership, if that is the wish of local authorities and local businesses.

Council Housing: Construction

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will review the level of funding for private finance initiative housing schemes for the purpose of identifying ways in which local authorities could built decent homes in a more cost-effective way; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 15 June 2010,  Official Report, column 368W.

Council Housing: Harlow

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the amount received in rental income by Harlow District Council in respect of properties in Harlow constituency which was subsequently paid to his Department's housing revenue account in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Grant Shapps: The following table sets out the housing revenue account (HRA) negative subsidy payments made to the Department by Harlow council since 2004-05, with provisional figures for 2009-10 and 2010-11. Payment of negative HRA subsidy to central Government was brought in by the Local Government Act 2003.
	
		
			  Harlow council  HRA negative subsidy payments (£) 
			 2010-11(1) -12,777,442 
			 2009-10(1) -12,605,440 
			 2008-09 -11,912,413 
			 2007-08 -10,559,289 
			 2006-07 -9,348,862 
			 2005-06 -8,304,751 
			 2004-05 -8,906,119 
			 (1) Provisional figures 
		
	
	The HRA subsidy system is currently under review. I will be considering all the responses to the document "Council housing: a real future" after consultation closes on 6 July.

Departmental Pay

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2010,  Official Report, column 127W, on departmental manpower, what the salary range is of staff members employed at each payband in each ministerial private office in his Department.

Bob Neill: The salary range for each pay band is:
	Pay band 2: £23,218 to £25,847
	Pay band 3: £24,951 to £30,162
	Pay band 4 has two scales: £28,668 to £34,655 and £27,000 to £35,000. The latter is for fast streamers only.
	Pay band 6: £44,494 to £57,110
	Senior civil servant pay band 1: £58,200 to £117,750

Departmental Postal Services

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on postage in 2009.

Bob Neill: Communities spent £42,391 with Royal Mail in 2009.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to analyse the distributional effect of the options for reductions in his Department's expenditure.

Bob Neill: The Government set out in their document 'Spending Review Framework' that they will "look closely at the effects of its decisions on different groups in society, especially the least well off, and on different regions." (2.4, page 7). Further information will be available at the spending review.
	The importance of protecting frontline services has already underpinned decisions on the Local Government contribution to the £6.2 billion cross-Government savings in 2010-11. Where revenue grants to local authorities have been reduced, no local authority will face a reduction of more than 2% overall. Local government will be free to make their own decisions about where savings are found. We have ensured that councils have the flexibility to take decisions locally on how to deliver the savings needed by removing ring-fences around central Government grants to local government. This will enable local authorities to redirect funds to protect the delivery of the essential frontline services that matter most to their local communities.

Departmental Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how much his Department's capital underspend was in each of the last five financial years;
	(2)  what end of year flexibility his Department has had in each of the last five financial years.

Bob Neill: The following tables set out the amount of accumulated End of Year Flexibility (EYF) for this Department over the last five years together with its capital underspend in each of those years. The figures have been split between the Department's Main programme and the Local Government Expenditure and also between Resource and Capital Expenditure. These figures are published by HM Treasury in the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper
	It is not possible to track easily underspends and EYF carry forward because of other material adjustments that take place.
	 Main Programme-Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL)
	
		
			  Resource 
			  £ million 
			  Financial year  Accumulated EYF at start of the year  Drawn down in year 
			 2005-06 332 -69 
			 2006-07 113 -36 
			 2007-08 145 -68 
			 2008-09 185 -9 
			 2009-10 346 -21 
		
	
	
		
			  Capital 
			  £ million 
			  Financial year  Accumulated EYF at start of the year  Drawn down in year  Capital underspend in year 
			 2005-06 238 -178 93 
			 2006-07 410 -74 221 
			 2007-08 604 -241 0.3 
			 2008-09 397 0 235 
			 2009-10 631 0 (1)210 
			 (1 )The capital underspend for 2009-10 are estimated figures. 
		
	
	 Local Government Expenditure Limits
	
		
			  Resource 
			  £ million 
			  Financial year  Accumulated EYF at start of the year  Drawn down in year 
			 2005-06 101 -37 
			 2006-07 42 - 
			 2007-08 57 - 
			 2008-09 107 -10 
			 2009-10 177 - 
		
	
	
		
			  Capital 
			  £ million 
			  Financial year  Accumulated EYF at start of the year  Drawn down in year  Capital underspend in year 
			 2005-06 254 -39 71 
			 2006-07 286 -7 43 
			 2007-08 322 - 96 
			 2008-09 418 -92 55 
			 2009-10 381 -89 (1)0 
			 (1) The capital underspend for 2009-10 are estimated figures.

Departmental Reviews

Andrew Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2010,  Official Report, column 137W, on Government departments: reviews, what reviews his Department is undertaking; and what the  (a) purpose and  (b) timescale of each is.

Bob Neill: The Coalition Agreement sets out in detail the Government's future plans, including the key reviews they will be undertaking. My Department will bring forward detailed information about these reviews in due course.

Fire Services

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the cost of delays to the FireControl project; and what his latest estimate is of the  (a) date of completion and  (b) total cost of the project.

Bob Neill: holding answer 17 June 2010
	The previous Government's FiReControl project has been subject to delays and increasing costs. The costs of these are set out in detail in the FiReControl Business Case.
	We are looking closely at this project to establish what we can do to improve the situation. We are committed to ensuring value-for-money for the taxpayer, improving resilience and stopping the forced regionalisation of the fire service.
	The estimated date of the network going live is May 2011 and the total cost of the project is currently forecast to be £423 million.

Homelessness

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he plans to take to improve the provision of housing for homeless individuals and families.

Grant Shapps: The £80 million Places of Change programme is investing in hostels and homeless services to help homeless people continue their journey away from the streets and enable them to move into independent living or more appropriate supported accommodation in England. The newly formed cross-government ministerial taskforce will ensure that the needs of single homeless people are being met.
	We recognise that there is a continued need for affordable housing, to meet the needs of homeless families, and we remain committed to the provision of affordable housing.

Housing: Construction

Sam Gyimah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to issue further guidance to local authorities on the methodology and timetable for locally-agreed housing targets.

Bob Neill: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to the Leader of each local authority in England on 27 May to reaffirm our commitment to abolish regional strategies and return decision making powers on housing and planning to local councils. Decisions on housing supply will rest with local planning authorities without the framework of regional numbers and plans. The Government will make a formal announcement on this matter in due course.

Housing: Construction

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on minimum and maximum dwelling densities in new housing developments.

Bob Neill: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Decentralisation (Greg Clark) on 9 June 2010,  Official Report, column 9WS.

Housing: Construction

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the inclusion of  (a) household projections and  (b) binding housing targets in regional spatial strategies into existing structural plans.

Bob Neill: We are absolutely committed to abolishing regional strategies, including regional housing targets. This will return decision making powers on housing and planning to local councils. It will be for local planning authorities to establish the right level of housing provision in their local development plans.

Housing: Construction

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate his Department has made of the number of jobs  (a) created and  (b) supported for each £1 million of expenditure on new build housing in the latest period for which figures are available.

Grant Shapps: The Department has estimated that, in 2009, every £1 million of expenditure in new build housing supported 11 net jobs for a year. This figure takes account of direct jobs supported in the house building industry and indirect (supply chain) jobs. It also takes account of displacement effects, where increased spending on housing building takes investment (and associated jobs) away from other parts of the economy.

Local Government

Elizabeth Truss: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has for devolution of greater power to local communities.

Greg Clark: The Department for Communities and Local Government is drawing up plans for implementing a number of commitments contained in the coalition programme for Government, and in the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister's announcement on 'Building the Big Society', which will lead to the devolution of greater power to local communities. These include: radical reform of the planning system to give neighbourhoods far more ability to determine the shape of the places in which their inhabitants live; and the introduction of new powers to help communities save local facilities and services threatened with closure, and give communities the right to take over local state-run services. The forthcoming 'localism bill' will include new powers for communities, including greater financial autonomy to community groups, and the creation of new trusts that would make it simpler for communities to provide homes for local people.
	In addition, we will be working closely with other Departments on the implementation of a wide set of proposals aimed at meeting the Government's ambitions to bring about a fundamental shift of power from Westminster to the people, to encourage social responsibility, and to make it easier for people to come together to improve their communities and help one another, as set out in the coalition agreement.

Local Government Finance

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his most recent estimate is of the monetary value of local authority funds which will no longer be ring-fenced in 2010-11; and for what reasons changes have been made to that estimate since 24 May 2010.

Bob Neill: The total of £1.7 billion used the latest published information for local government available prior to the announcement on 24 May of the efficiency savings to be found in 2010-11. The list of grants which will be de-ring-fenced takes account of the changes proposed by departments. The £1.7 billion also mistakenly included two grants where further work identified this funding as already providing local authorities with flexibility for local decisions on the use of that funding.
	Non-schools ring-fencing has still reduced from 10.6% to 7.7%. The coalition agreement makes clear that Ministers want to signal a fundamental shift of power and end the era of top-down government by giving new powers to local councils. The Government will phase out the ring-fencing of grants to local government. Decisions on this will be taken in the context of the next spending review.
	The CLG capital grant for private sector renewal (£300 million) was included as ring-fenced when it has now become clear that there is no control on local authority spending. A smaller Housing and Planning Delivery Grant (£29 million) was also included but this grant ended in 2008-09 and is therefore irrelevant to any calculations to provide a reduction in ring-fencing.

Non-domestic Rates

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on providing relief for small businesses arising out of the late billing of the business rates for financial year 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: The collection of business rates is carried out by local billing authorities, under the framework set out in the Local Government Finance Act 1988. Authorities are under a duty to collect business rates diligently. Any application for Small Business Rate Relief received before 30 September 2010 can be backdated for the financial year 2009-10 provided the eligibility requirements are met.

Private Rented Housing

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  whether he has made an assessment of the merits of each of the recommendations of the Rugg Review of the private rented housing sector;
	(2)  what steps he plans to take in response to the recommendations of the Rugg Review of private rented sector housing.

Andrew Stunell: This Government are committed to ensuring an appropriate balance of rights and responsibilities between landlords and tenants. We have carefully considered the recommendations of the Rugg Review of the private rented sector. But we think that the existing legislative framework for the sector already achieves the right balance. We, therefore, have no plans to introduce further regulation. However, we continue to consider other issues highlighted by the Review, including the potential for greater investment in the private rented sector.

Private Rented Housing

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has for the future of tenant deposit schemes.

Grant Shapps: I have no plans to change the requirement for landlords to protect any deposits taken under an Assured Shorthold Tenancy. The three existing schemes operate under contracts which come to an end in April 2012. We will, therefore, take steps to ensure that schemes are in place which enable landlords to meet their obligations beyond April 2012.

Private Rented Housing

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the adequacy of the regulations in place for residential letting agents.

Andrew Stunell: Residential letting and managing agents are not currently subject to specific mandatory regulation, although, in common with all commercial organisations, they are bound by overarching fair trading legislation. There are three well established voluntary regulatory schemes which provide effective protection for consumers. I am keen to work with the industry to explore how consumers can be made more aware of the advantages of using an agent who belongs to one of these schemes.

Private Rented Housing

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations he has received on  (a) the Rugg Review of private rented sector housing and  (b) the future regulation of the private rented sector.

Grant Shapps: Since 16 May 2010, my Department has received three representations relating to the Rugg Review of the private rented sector and five concerning future regulation of the sector.

Regional Planning and Development: South West

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has with regard to the unadopted regional spatial strategy for the South West.

Bob Neill: We are committed to abolishing regional strategies and returning decision making powers on housing and planning to local councils without the framework of regional housing numbers and plans. The Secretary of State has written to all local authority leaders and the Planning Inspectorate confirming the Government's intention and that letter can be used as a material consideration in planning decisions.
	In general, policies and proposals of the once emerging regional spatial strategy for the South West carry little weight. Evidence that informed the preparation of the regional strategy may be a material consideration depending on the facts of the case and what weight may be attached is a matter for an individual decision maker.

Social Rented Housing: Stockport

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport are on the social housing list; and if he will make a statement.

Grant Shapps: There are 7,842 households on the council's waiting list compared to 5,999 in 1997.

Strokes: Health Services

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations he received from the Department of Health on the likely effects of his decision to end the ring-fencing of money for the national stroke strategy; what meetings were held between Ministers in his Department and in the Department of Health on the matter before the decision was taken; if he will place in the Library a copy of each item of correspondence received from the Department of Health on the matter; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: holding answer 16 June 2010
	The Coalition Agreement sets out that the Government will phase out the ring-fencing of grants to local government. The decision by the Department of Health to end the restrictions on a number of grants, including the National Stroke Strategy, as part of the measures announced by the Chancellor on 24 May for over £6 billion of savings in 2010-11 to reduce the fiscal deficit, provides local authorities with the flexibility to continue to deliver essential frontline services.
	By removing the ring-fencing of grants, we are giving councils more freedom to direct funding to the most high priority areas that local people want-including increasing support for social care if this is a local wish.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions he has had with chief constables on their powers in relation to unauthorised traveller encampments; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: The Secretary of State has had no recent discussions with chief constables on their powers in relation to unauthorised traveller encampments.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to bring forward proposals to increase the powers of local authorities and the police in relation to unauthorised traveller encampments; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: The Government are reviewing this matter and announcements will be made in due course.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations he has received on the powers of local authorities and the police in relation to unauthorised traveller sites; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: As at 17 June 2010, 50 letters from members of the public, 18 items of ministerial correspondence and one petition have been received in Communities and Local Government on issues related to local authority and police powers to address unauthorised Traveller sites.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bangladesh: Floods

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what humanitarian assistance his Department is providing to assist following the recent floods and landslides in Bangladesh.

Alan Duncan: The recent floods and landslides in Bangladesh have had tragic consequences, with thousands of people affected. The UK provides continuing support to the Government of Bangladesh for its planning and response to disasters, including £12 million to the Government's Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP) (2009-14). Last month DFID facilitated a co-ordination meeting of the Bangladesh Consultative Group on Disaster Response, chaired by the Government of Bangladesh, to discuss how to respond to the needs of the flood-affected people. Local non-governmental organisations are currently responding to those needs and we continue to monitor the situation. Additional work is required to protect those at risk from further landslides. This work will be carried out under the DFID-supported CDMP mentioned above.

Fairtrade Foundation: Finance

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department provided to the Fairtrade Foundation in each of the last three years; and for what purposes it provided that funding.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) provided £386,504 and £140,100 in direct grants to the Fairtrade Foundation in 2007-08 and 2008-09 respectively. This was for (a) work to further develop mainstream markets for Fairtrade certified products in the UK; and (b) a Fairtrade Schools scheme to use Fairtrade as an example of sustainable development in schools and school communities.
	In addition the Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO) provided £220,627 and £91,543 of DFID funding to the Fairtrade Foundation in 2008-09 and 2009-10 respectively. This funding was used to review certification and licensing processes and to develop new products to come into Fairtrade.

Marie Stopes International

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what payments his Department has made to Marie Stopes International for  (a) abortion,  (b) family planning and  (c) other reproductive health services in the last 12 months; how much he plans to allocate to Marie Stopes International for those purposes in each of the next three years; what recent assessment he has made of the value for money of such expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: Funding to all UK Civil Society Organisations is published annually in 'Statistics on International Development', which is available in the Library and on the Department for International Development (DFID) website at:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-DFID/Finance-and-performance/Aid-Statistics/Statistics-on-International-Development-2009/
	In 2008-09 the DFID provide £770,000 to Marie Stopes International through four Civil Society Challenge Fund grants. The 2009-10 figures will be published in September 2010. DFID does not classify spending under the categories requested and this information cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost. Additional payments can also be made through country offices and partners supporting reproductive and maternal health programmes.
	It is a major priority for the UK Government to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights, including access to modern family planning methods and promoting women's choice, in the developing world.
	DFID is currently reviewing its bilateral and multilateral development assistance to ensure effectiveness and value for money. Funding to Marie Stopes International for the next three years will be reviewed under this process.

Pakistan: Overseas Aid

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the security situation in Balochistan and Sindh provinces of Pakistan on UK aid to the region.

Andrew Mitchell: Currently the Department for International Development (DFID) provides support to Balochistan and Sindh provinces mainly through federal level programmes, principally within the health sector. These programmes are implemented by the provincial governments. To date, the programmes have not been affected to any significant degree by security issues. This is kept under review as part of our risk management procedures.
	We are also considering the future shape of the programme is Pakistan as part of the bilateral aid review.

HEALTH

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women in each strategic health authority area in England and Wales who had had  (a) one,  (b) two,  (c) three,  (d) four,  (e) five,  (f) six,  (g) seven,  (h) eight,  (i) nine and  (j) 10 or more previous abortions had an abortion in 2009.

Anne Milton: The information we can provide is shown in the following table. The Department has withheld data where there are totals of less than 10 (between 0 and 9) cases as we believe the disclosure of this information could breach an individual's confidentiality. This is in accordance with the Office for National Statistics guidance on the disclosure of abortion statistics (2005).
	
		
			  Number of previous abortions by strategic health authority of residence, 2009 
			   Number of previous abortions  
			  Strategic health authority  0  1  2  3  4  5 or more  Total 
			 East of England 10,892 3,988 1,002 230 69 30 16,211 
			 East Midlands 8,564 2,597 558 127 40 17 11,903 
			 London 27,104 13,827 3,917 1,049 313 150 46,360 
			 North East 5,261 1,533 331 67 (1)- (1)- 7,220 
			 North West 17,408 5,893 1,240 244 70 19 24,874 
			 South Central 7,549 2,723 646 125 31 17 11,091 
			 South East 8,418 3,448 878 167 60 25 12,996 
			 South West 9,292 2,991 577 117 43 15 13,035 
			 West Midlands 13,471 5,159 1,229 240 63 19 20,181 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 11,384 3,910 833 191 44 26 16,388 
			 Wales 6,367 1,971 391 80 (1)- (1)- 8,841 
			 
			 England and Wales 125,710 48,040 11,602 2,637 779 332 189,100 
			 (1) Suppressed value less than 10.  Note: Number of previous abortions are grouped where totals are less than 10 (between 0 and 9) or where a presented total would reveal a suppressed value from previously published data.

Breast Cancer: Screening

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of eligible women in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan attended breast screening clinics in the latest period for which figures are available; and what steps he plans to take to improve the take-up of breast screening services in  (a) the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and  (b) nationally.

Paul Burstow: The information is not available in the format requested, as breast screening attendance statistics for the metropolitan borough of Wigan are not recorded. However, statistics from Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Primary Care Trust (PCT), which covers the Wigan area, based on the number of the women screened from the eligible population, rather than the number of women attending screening, can be provided. This is also the case for national screening figures, which are based on the number of the women screened from the eligible population and have also been provided in the following table.
	The data show the eligible population, number of women screened and the proportion of the eligible population screened within three years, as at 31 March 2009.
	
		
			  Area  Eligible population  Number of women screened  Proportion screened (percentage) 
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT 33,007 25,173 76.3 
			 England 5,166,515 3,954,050 76.5 
		
	
	These figures are available in Table 11a of the 'Breast Screening Programme, England 2008-09' report. Information is provided by PCT and strategic health authority on an annual basis. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.
	PCTs are responsible for managing the NHS Breast Screening Programme locally and for organising local screening awareness initiatives as appropriate. In March 2010 the Department published 'Reducing cancer inequality: evidence, progress and making it happen: a report by the National Cancer Equality Initiative' which recommended that PCTs review local levels of screening coverage and uptake to consider whether further action is required to improve coverage and uptake. A copy of the report has already been placed in the Library.

Dementia: Drugs

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what evidence on the inappropriate use of anti-psychotic medicines the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is including in its review of anti-Alzheimer's disease medication;
	(2)  if the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence will bring forward the timetable for the planned review of its guidance on Dementia: supporting people with dementia and their carers in health and social care for the purposes of incorporating the recommendations made by Professor Sube Banerjee in his report on the prescribing of anti-psychotic drugs to people with dementia of 12 November 2009.

Paul Burstow: Decisions on the evidence to be considered by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in updates of its guidance and the timetables for updates are matters for the Institute as an independent body.

Dementia: Drugs

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made by his Department on reducing the use of anti-psychotic drugs by two-thirds, as recommended by Professor Sube Banerjee in his report to the Minister for Care Services of 12 November 2009.

Paul Burstow: The National Clinical Director for dementia is leading the work to implement the recommendations made by Professor Sube Banerjee in his report in to the use of anti-psychotic medicines, which was published in November 2009. As a priority, the Department is working with the NHS Information Centre to develop an audit of the prescribing of anti-psychotics for people with dementia with the aim of achieving a two-thirds reduction over a period of two years from establishing a baseline position. The results of the audit are expected by October 2010.

Dementia: Drugs

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms will be used to measure his Department's progress on the recommendations made by Professor Sube Banerjee in his report on the prescribing of anti-psychotic drugs to people with dementia of 12 November 2009.

Paul Burstow: The Department's progress on addressing the recommendations within Professor Sube Banerjee's report will be monitored by the National Dementia Strategy Programme Board responsible for the delivery and implementation of the National Dementia Strategy. The audit of the prescribing of anti-psychotics for people with dementia will be a key mechanism for measuring the reduction in the use of anti-psychotic drugs.

Dental Services: Bolton

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many NHS dentists there are in Bolton; and how many are accepting new patients;
	(2)  if he will take steps to ensure that sufficient dentists are recruited to meet demand for NHS dental services in Bolton.

Simon Burns: The information is not available in the format requested.
	During the year ending 31 March 2009, there were 136 dentists with national health service activity in the Bolton primary care trust (PCT) area.
	The number of dentists accepting new NHS patients is not collected centrally. However, this data will be available direct from Bolton PCT.
	The Coalition programme includes a commitment to the introduction of a new dental contract that will focus on achieving good dental health and increasing access to NHS dentistry, providing care for an additional million patients.

Departmental Official Cars

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers in his Department are entitled to the use of (i) a car with a dedicated driver, (ii) a car from the Government car pool and (iii) a taxi ordered through a departmental account.

Simon Burns: Other than the three Permanent Secretaries, no civil servants or special advisers are entitled to the use of a car with a dedicated driver or a car from the Government car pool.
	All three of the Permanent Secretaries have voluntarily given up their entitlement to a dedicated driver. Two have already ceased to have a dedicated driver. In the remaining case, notice has been issued and the arrangement ends on 19 August 2010.
	The Department has an account with Computer Cab for those staff who need to use a taxi as part of a reasonable adjustment, for example, those who have mobility issues. Currently seven individuals have access to Computer Cab as a reasonable adjustment.

Departmental Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what end of year flexibility his Department has had in each of the last five financial years.

Simon Burns: Departmental end of year flexibility is published by HM Treasury in the annual Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper-table six. The last five years published reports are:
	2004-05: CM 6639
	2005-06: CM 6883
	2006-07: CM 7156
	2007-08: CM 7419
	2008-09: CM 7606.
	HM Treasury are to publish the 2009-10 Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper in July 2010.
	Draw-down of end of year flexibility is published in Supplementary Parliamentary Estimates and for the Department is as follows:
	
		
			   £ million  
			   Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL  )  Capital DEL  Library reference 
			 2004-05 471.184 355.183 HC1234 
			 2005-06 - 200.000 HC827 
			 2006-07 - - - 
			 2007-08 6.000 - H273 
			 2008-09 3.000 - H265 
			 2009-10 - -

Diabetes: Health Education

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to raise awareness of the symptoms of diabetes amongst members of the public who have the condition but who remain undiagnosed.

Paul Burstow: It is important to identify people with diabetes early to ensure that they receive prompt treatment to enable them to manage their diabetes and help to delay or prevent long term complications of the condition.
	The Department has initiatives in place to encourage healthy eating and promote an active lifestyle, which raise awareness of type 2 diabetes. Primary care trusts are running vascular risk assessment and management programmes. These proactively identify and manage people at high risk of vascular disease including diabetes.

Dietary Supplements: EU Law

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when next he expects to meet the European Health Commissioner; and if he will discuss with the Commissioner representations he has received on the proposals for maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements under the provisions of Article 5 of the EU Food Supplements Directive.

Anne Milton: There are no current plans for Health Ministers to meet with the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy to discuss representations he has received on the proposals for maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements.

Epilepsy

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate his Department has made of the  (a) incidence and  (b) cost of misdiagnosis of epilepsy.

Paul Burstow: The Department has made no recent estimate of the incidence, or cost, of misdiagnosis of epilepsy.
	However, an independent study from the Health Services Management Centre at Birmingham University and the National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care at the University of Leicester, published in the British Medical Journal, reported that each year more than 90,000 people in England and Wales were wrongly diagnosed with epilepsy, resulting in unnecessary costs of as much as £138 million a year.
	The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (which receives its funding from the Department), has commissioned a national clinical audit known as 'Epilepsy 12' (so-called because the audit covers 12 key indicators derived from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network) to facilitate local health services to evaluate clinical practice, patient experience and service descriptors in a standardised and meaningful way. One of the things it will do is to look at misdiagnosis rates and patient experience as achievable outcome measures. It will not look at costs. Data collection is due to start in the autumn of 2010 at early adopter sites, with a national roll out to follow soon after. The audit is being coordinated by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

Food Standards Agency

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to change the  (a) structure and  (b) staffing level of the offices of the Food Standards Agency responsible for (i) nutrition, (ii) food safety and public health and (iii) other matters.

Anne Milton: Ministers are currently exploring options for the Food Standards Agency.

Health Centres

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government's policy is on the support primary care trusts will be required to give to polyclinics in the future.

Simon Burns: The Government's policy is that changes to local health services, such as moving care out of hospital into the community, should be led by general practitioners with other local clinicians, working alongside patients and the public, and not be driven by top-down instructions.
	As a result of the complexity and scale of the changes proposed in London, we have asked NHS London to make recommendations about how service change in the capital should be taken forward in line with the principal of local decision-making.

Health Services: Overseas Visitors

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to extend to six months per year the permitted period of absence for current UK residents who are not pensioners during which they are not liable to be charged for hospital treatment.

Anne Milton: The Government are considering this area.

Heart Diseases: Children

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to continue the current review of the provision of children's heart surgery in England.

Simon Burns: The current review of the provision of children's heart surgery in England is continuing.
	The review, known as the Safe and Sustainable programme, will develop proposals for the future configuration of services and these will be the subject of a three-month public consultation to commence in autumn 2010.

Hospices: Children

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children in  (a) Wirral,  (b) Liverpool,  (c) Knowsley,  (d) Warrington,  (e) Halton and St Helens,  (f) Western Cheshire,  (g) Central and Eastern Cheshire,  (h) Sefton and  (i) Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust were in receipt of children's hospice services at the latest date for which figures are available.

Anne Milton: The information requested is not held centrally.

Hospices: Children

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons Julia's House Children's Hospice in Dorset has been charged £1,220 by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to vary its registration by the addition of one bedroom; if he will require the CQC to revoke the charge; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Under the Care Standards Act 2000 the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for setting the level of registration fees payable by different providers. It is a standard principle that organisations that are regulated should meet the cost of regulation. CQC registration provides assurance to users of registered services that the care that a provider delivers meets regulations and relevant minimum standards.
	CQC has advised that Julia's House Children's Hospice in Dorset has been charged £1,220 for an application that relates to a 'major variation' to the hospice's registration with CQC as a provider of independent healthcare under the Care Standards Act 2000. A major variation such as this means CQC needs to carry out a site visit in order to approve the change to the hospice's registration.
	A full consultation on CQC's future fees structure, which will come in from April 2011, is due to start later this year.

Malnutrition

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate has been made of the number of people who are classified as under weight.

Anne Milton: Adult Trend Table 4 in the "Health Survey for England-2008:" trend tables contains information on the percentage of adults aged 16 and over who are underweight.
	Information on the estimated number of underweight adults is included in the Health Survey for England-2008: trend tables, Population number estimate tables, Table 1. This publication is available on the NHS Information Centre's website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles-related-surveys/health-survey-for-england/health-survey-for-england--2008-trend-tables
	and has already been placed in the Library.
	Information on the proportion of children who are underweight in England is collected through the National Child Measurement programme (NCMP). Table A in the NCMP main report for 2008-09 shows the prevalence of underweight children aged four-five years and 10-11 years. This publication has already been placed in the Library.

Muscular Dystrophy: Health Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve specialist neuromuscular services for people with muscle-wasting conditions.

Paul Burstow: Primary care trust commissioners have responsibility for commissioning services, using the national service framework for long-term neurological services, that reflect the needs of their patients living with neuromuscular conditions.
	Some rare neuromuscular conditions, detailed in the specialised services definitions set, are regarded as specialised and therefore subject to collaborative commissioning arrangements. The 10 specialised commissioning groups, acting on behalf of their member primary care trusts, are responsible for the commissioning arrangements for specialised services.
	Ultimately, it is for those in the local national health service who commission services to ensure that care packages take account of patient needs.

NHS: Snow and Ice

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts in England provided funding to local highway authorities to clear snow off pavements and roads in winter 2009-10.

Anne Milton: The Department does not routinely collect data from primary care trusts regarding funding of the clearance of snow from pavements and roads.

NHS: Wigan

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which regional office of the proposed NHS Commissioning Board will have responsibility for the area covered by Wigan constituency; and what plans he has for that office.

Simon Burns: The coalition agreement included a commitment to establish a new independent NHS Commissioning Board, to allocate resources and provide commissioning guidelines. The NHS Commissioning Board will exercise its functions through regional offices that will report directly to the Chief Executive. We will bring forward proposals for the NHS Commissioning Board and how it will work in due course. In the meantime, strategic health authorities will continue to have a vital role in delivering financial control and performance, and driving improvements in quality and productivity.

Nurses

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the  (a) clinical effectiveness and  (b) cost-effectiveness of specialist nurses.

Anne Milton: There are multiple variables that have an impact on the effectiveness of nurse specialist services. Local national health service organisations are best placed to develop service models that put patients at the heart of care and have a clear and rigorous focus on improving health outcomes.
	Not all nurse specialist services are designed and delivered in the same way. There are many different objectives for these services based on either enhancing current care provision or substituting the professional delivering the care. As such, determining the clinical and cost effectiveness of these services is often not straight forward.
	The variety in the way services are delivered by nurse specialists often makes direct comparison difficult. For example, some nurse specialists may prescribe or order and interpret diagnostic tests which are usually done by a doctor, others may provide intensive counselling and support that enhances the care provided by other professionals. Services tend to evolve locally to meet the specific needs of local patients.
	There are several studies, some including cost effectiveness, of specialist nurses who are managing some or all of the care of patients that would normally be done by hospital consultants. Generally, the outcomes can be equivalent. There is often an indication of improved patient experiences, and for nurse delivered enhanced services, improved outcomes.
	For consultant nurses, there is evidence that evaluation is often undertaken before the role has had time to develop fully, often making judgements about the effectiveness of the role misleading. This is a problem for primary care in particular. There is emerging evidence of consultant nurses having a positive impact on patient outcomes.

Pesticides: EU Law

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department plans to review the implementation of EU Regulation 669/2009 with regard to pesticide sampling requirements concerning high-risk non-animal original foodstuffs; and what discussions his Department plans to hold with the Food Standards Agency on the matter.

Anne Milton: In the United Kingdom the Food Standards Agency is the central competent authority responsible for the implementation of EU Regulation 669/2009. This legislation is directly aimed at protecting public health, and covers the level of official controls on imports of certain feed and food of non-animal origin.
	Annex 1 to the regulation contains a list of feed and food of non-animal origin imported from certain third countries that, based on known or emerging risks to public health, are subject to an increased level of official controls at designated points of entry to the European Union. The product, the country of origin, the health hazard-including pesticide residues or other contaminants-and the frequency of checks are reviewed quarterly by the Commission.
	The annex is currently being reviewed by experts from member states and the UK will make representations, based on discussions held with stakeholders, including importers and the port health authorities, and experience gathered following implementation. The UK will continue to press for the listing criteria to be more transparent and evidence based.

Smoking: Hartlepool

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to increase the number of people ceasing to smoke in Hartlepool constituency.

Anne Milton: The Department is currently considering how best to tackle this issue in the context of the new prioritisation and focus on public health.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Early Day Motions

Iain Wright: To ask the Leader of the House if he will bring forward proposals for the automatic debate in the House of Early Day Motions which have attracted support from a minimum number of hon. Members.

David Heath: Debates on motions tabled by backbenchers will be a matter for the Backbench Business Committee, which is currently being elected under arrangements made by the Speaker.
	I expect the Committee to be established next week.

Members' Staff: Training

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Leader of the House if he will discuss with the House authorities the establishment of a human resources department to handle professional training for the staff of hon. Members.

David Heath: The House of Commons provides training for the staff of hon. Members, both in-house and through a contract with Capita Learning and Development. A full list of courses and booking details is available on-line at:
	www.w4mp.org

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Fixed-term Parliaments

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent representations he has received on plans to establish fixed-term Parliaments.

Mark Harper: As well as representations made by Members of this House in debates and questions, I have received a number of items of correspondence. I have also been working closely with colleagues across Government to deliver our pledge to introduce fixed term Parliaments, including the Leader of the House of Commons who has made it clear that the Committee Stage of the Bill will be taken on the floor of the House and there will be adequate opportunity for the House to debate it. I look forward to engaging further with Members from both sides of the House.

Returning Officers

Andrew Selous: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he plans to continue the existing system of payments to returning officers for the local elections to be held in May 2011.

Mark Harper: Under section 36 of the Representation of the People Act 1983, all expenditure properly incurred by a returning officer in administering local authority elections must be paid by the local authority, in so far as it does not exceed any scale fixed by the local authority. This may include a fee for the returning officer, however some local authorities do not pay a fee but include remuneration for undertaking returning officer duties in the salary of the relevant officer.
	This money is paid from the revenue support grant which is administered by the Department for Communities and Local Government. We have no plans to change these arrangements.
	We need to make sure that all public services are delivered effectively and there is clarity about how public monies are spent. Returning officers are paid for this additional work but we expect in return that they ensure the effective planning for and conduct of elections.

Constituencies

Richard Harrington: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress he has made on his proposals to create fewer constituencies with more equal numbers of electors.

Mark Harper: The Government have announced that they will introduce legislation to provide for the creation of fewer and more equally sized constituencies. Proposals are being carefully considered within Government and details will be announced in due course, with Parliament having the opportunity to debate them in detail.

Electoral Systems

William Bain: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he plans to set a timetable for a referendum on electoral reform; what his timetable is for introducing to this House a Bill to give effect to legislative proposals for the holding of the proposed referendum.

Mark Harper: The Government have made clear their intention to introduce legislation providing for a national referendum on the Alternative Vote for future elections to the House of Commons. The appropriate timetable for this legislation and the subsequent referendum are currently being considered. Further details will be announced in due course.

CABINET OFFICE

Defence

Mike Hancock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he expects the final report on the Strategic Security and Defence Review to be published.

Oliver Letwin: The Coalition Agreement outlined the Government's commitment to carry out a full, wide-ranging Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) and the Queen's speech of late May announced this commitment formally. The Government expect to report their findings from the SDSR in the autumn alongside the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Departmental Manpower

Tom Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many full-time equivalent staff at each Civil Service grade are employed in the private office of each Minister in his Department.

Francis Maude: The breakdown of staff at each grade showing full time equivalents is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Minister Staff grades Full- time equivalents 
			 Minister for the Cabinet Office Senior Civil Servant 1 
			  HEO 2 
			  EO 2 
			  AO 1 
			 Minister of State HEO 1 
			  EO 2.5 
			 Minister for Civil Society HEO 1 
			  EO 1.5 
			 Minister for Constitutional Reform HEO 1 
			  EO 1 
			 Minister without Portfolio HEO 1 
			  EO 1

WORK AND PENSIONS

Carer's Allowance: Easington

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals in Easington constituency  (a) are in receipt of carer's allowance and  (b) were in receipt of carer's allowance in each of the last five years.

Maria Miller: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of people in receipt of carer's allowance in Easington constituency November 2004 to November 2009 
			   Number 
			 November 2004 1,040 
			 August 2005 1,070 
			 November 2006 1.080 
			 November 2007 1,110 
			 November 2008 1,160 
			 November 2009 1,240 
			  Source: Department for Work and Pensions Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study

Carers' Benefits

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to provide support for carers combining caring responsibilities with paid employment.

Edward Davey: holding answer 21 June 2010
	I have been asked to reply.
	The Department intends to carry out a refresh of the previous Government's carers strategy and, as part of that, will consider how carers can be supported to effectively combine caring responsibility with paid employment.
	The right to request flexible working is currently available to employed parents of children aged under 17, parents of disabled children under 18 and carers of certain adults. The Government are already committed to extending the right to request flexible working to all employees. This will ensure that individuals within the wider caring structure, e.g. grandparents and neighbours, will be able to take a more active role in caring, whilst managing their work and family lives effectively. This extension will also help to remove the stigma attached to flexible working requests at the moment. We will be consulting with business on how best to do it.

Departmental Official Cars

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the  (a) make,  (b) model and  (c) place of manufacture is of the car allocated for the use of each Minister in his Department.

Chris Grayling: Ministers at the Department for Work and Pensions currently use a pool of four allocated drivers and four cars: three Toyota Prius T3s, manufactured in Japan and one Jaguar XJ TDVi Executive manufactured in the UK.
	Notice has been served on the contract on a fifth car, a Honda Civic ES Hybrid, manufactured in Japan. The 90 day notice period for this car expires in August. The car is currently retained by the Government Car Service.
	Under the revised Ministerial Code the number of Ministers with allocated cars and drivers will be kept to a minimum, taking into account security and other relevant considerations. Other Ministers will be entitled to use cars from the Government Car Service Pool as needed.
	The Department and the Government Car and Despatch Agency are working together on the transition to the new arrangements.

Disability Living Allowance: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each ward of Peterborough constituency are claiming disability living allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Disability living allowance claimants at ward level in Peterborough parliamentary constituency: November 2009 
			  Ward  In payment 
			 Bretton North 565 
			 Bretton South 115 
			 Central 540 
			 Dogsthorpe 595 
			 East 590 
			 Eye and Thorney 270 
			 Newborough 75 
			 North 430 
			 Park 355 
			 Paston 515 
			 Ravensthorpe 435 
			 Walton 285 
			 Werrington North 340 
			 Werrington South 235 
			 West 280 
			  Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest five; some additional disclosure control has also been applied. 2. Caseload show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they in hospital. 3. Wards in Peterborough taken from the Office of Public Sector Information site at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ 4. Parliamentary constituency of claimant (Westminster) May 2005 General Election constituencies. 5. The sum of these wards will not match the total for Peterborough constituency due to some wards overlapping into other constituencies. Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study

Employment Schemes: Young People

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate his Department has made of the effect on the number of young people who will have been unemployed for one year or more in 2010-11 of the ending of the  (a) youth guarantee and  (b) Future Jobs Fund;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the change in spending on jobseeker's allowance consequent on the ending of the  (a) Future Jobs Fund,  (b) Jobseeker's Guarantee and (c) youth guarantee in 2010-11;
	(3)  what estimate his Department has made of the effect on the number of people aged 18 to 24 years claiming jobseeker's allowance of  (a) the end of the youth guarantee,  (b) the end of the Future Jobs Fund and  (c) changes in the number of university places in 2010-11.

Chris Grayling: The Young Person's Guarantee and Future Jobs Fund have not ended in 2010 -11. The Government will ensure that people in danger of long-term unemployment get the support that they need to find work through the Work Programme, and will therefore not be introducing the Jobseeker's Guarantee.

Future Jobs Fund

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Future Jobs Fund in helping unemployed people into work in  (a) Manchester and  (b) Trafford.

Chris Grayling: The Future Jobs Fund has not ended. All grants that have been agreed will be honoured, and by March 2011 over 100,000 jobs will have been funded nationally. The most recent Official Statistics covering the period October 2009 to January 2010 show that there were 1,300 recorded Future Jobs Fund starts in the Jobcentre Plus north-west region. The information requested on specific boroughs is not available.
	The Future Jobs Fund created temporary, short term jobs, and the grants did not include any incentives to move people into permanent posts. The Government are investing £150 million to create 50,000 new apprenticeship places which will equip people with the skills they need and allow people to move into a long-term job. Next year we are also introducing a new single Work Programme which will provide better targeted support and deliver long lasting benefits with a greater focus on sustained employment.

Future Jobs Fund

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect on levels of employment in  (a) Greater Manchester,  (b) the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport and  (c) the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside of ending the Future Jobs Fund.

Chris Grayling: The Future Jobs Fund has not ended. All grants that have been agreed will be honoured and by March 2011 over 100,000 jobs will have been funded nationally. The most recent Official Statistics, covering the period October 2009 to January 2010, show that there were 1,300 recorded Future Jobs Fund starts in the Jobcentre Plus north-west region. The information requested on Greater Manchester, and specific boroughs, is not available.
	The Future Jobs Fund created temporary, short-term jobs, and the grants did not include any incentives to move people into permanent posts. The Government are investing £150 million to create 50,000 new apprenticeship places which will equip people with the skills they need and allow people to move into a long term job. Next year we are also introducing a new single Work Programme which will provide better targeted support and deliver long lasting benefits with a greater focus on sustained employment.

Future Jobs Fund

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of jobs created in Warrington by the Future Jobs Fund.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.

Future Jobs Fund

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobs planned to be funded through the Future Jobs Fund by April 2012 will not be funded.

Chris Grayling: We expect that up to 111,000 people will have started a Future Jobs Fund job before it ends next year.
	The Future Jobs Fund created temporary, short term jobs, and the grants did not include any incentives to move people into permanent posts. The Government are investing £150 million to create 50,000 new apprenticeship places which will equip people with the skills they need and allow people to move into a long term job. Next year we are also introducing a new single Work Programme which will provide better targeted support and deliver long lasting benefits with a greater focus on substantial employment.

Future Jobs Fund

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions his Department had with voluntary sector providers of the Future Jobs Fund prior to his announcement of the ending of the fund.

Chris Grayling: The Future Jobs Fund has not ended, and we are honouring all existing commitments to providers. We have received virtually no representations on this issue, and we are working closely with providers and future providers on the implementation of the Work Programme which will help young people move into sustained employment rather than temporary jobs.

Jobcentre Plus: Digital Technology

Alun Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the principles of digital inclusion are taken into account in the provision of services by Jobcentre Plus.

Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked the Chief Executive to provide the right hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Darra Singh dated 22 June 2010:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking (i) what steps his Department is taking to ensure and (ii) whether he has made a recent assessment of the extent to which, the principles of digital inclusion are taken into account in the provision of services by Jobcentre Plus. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Jobcentre Plus recognises the importance of digital inclusion for our customers, especially those who are most disadvantaged and face the greatest barriers to work.
	Many Jobcentre Plus services are available through digital channels, including searching for job vacancies, the Benefit Adviser Service on Directgov and the option of making a claim online for contributions-based Jobseeker's Allowance. We aim to help customers develop the skills and confidence to use these services together with the growing number of on-line services provided elsewhere in the private, voluntary and public sectors.
	We are looking at a range of ways to address digital exclusion. These include the appointment of digital inclusion champions in Jobcentres and better signposting to help customers access support from our partners, such as the advice and provision available through UK Online in England and equivalents in Wales and Scotland. We see this work as important in tackling barriers to internet access which, with more employers using online recruitment to fill vacancies, is a real barrier to customers finding work.
	Tackling digital exclusion is essential to addressing wider social mobility and ensuring that all our customers can benefit from the improvements that digital technologies can provide in helping them move from welfare to work.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Per Capita Costs

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average annual cost to the public purse of each unemployed person in receipt of jobseeker's allowance.

Chris Grayling: The average Department for Work and Pensions benefit expenditure per jobseeker's allowance claimant was £5,100 in 2009-10.
	 Notes:
	1. Figure is rounded to the nearest £100.
	2. The figure includes jobseeker's allowance, and housing benefit and council tax benefit paid to jobseeker's allowance claimants.
	3. The figure is subject to change as final out-turn data on housing benefit and council tax benefit is not yet available.
	4. The figure does not include any other benefit or tax credits paid to jobseeker's allowance claimants, nor jobcentre plus, local authority or employment programme costs associated with such claimants.
	 Source:
	Department for Work and Pensions statistical accounting data

Pension Funds: Regulation

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  whether he plans to review the regulatory framework for the consideration of environmental, social and governance risks by pension funds;
	(2)  if he will bring forward legislative proposals for the compulsory disclosure by pension funds of  (a) the environmental, social and governance issues taken into account in their investment policy,  (b) the way in which that policy is implemented and  (c) the way in which shareholder rights are exercised;
	(3)  whether he plans to review the operation of the  (a) Occupational Pension Schemes (Investment) Regulations 2005 and  (b) Stakeholder Pension Schemes Regulations 2000.

Steve Webb: The law already requires that an occupational pension scheme's 'Statement of Investment Principles' must include a declaration of the extent to which social, environmental and ethical considerations are taken into account in the schemes investments. The statement must also include the scheme's policy (if any) in relation to the exercise of the rights (including voting rights) attaching to the investments.
	While the Government fully support the highest standards of corporate governance and ethical behaviour, we have no plans at present to review the environmental, social and governance requirements set out in the existing regulatory framework, or to introduce new legal requirements relating to pensions schemes' investment policy or the way in which shareholder rights are exercised.
	Other aspects of the Occupational Pension Schemes (Investment) Regulations 2005 and the Stakeholder Pension Schemes Regulations 2000, may need to be reviewed in the light of other developments such as the workplace pension reforms planned for 2012.

Social Fund

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on reform of the Social Fund.

Steve Webb: We are currently considering all areas of departmental policy, including the Social Fund.
	The consultation on the proposals set out in the Green Paper 'Social Fund Reform: debt, credit and low income households' (Cm 7750) closed on 7 June 2010. We will consider the responses to the consultation as we develop proposals for wider welfare reform.

Social Security Benefits

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to ensure that receipt of benefits for those able to work is conditional on their willingness to work.

Chris Grayling: The Government have announced its plans for radical reforms of the welfare to work system and the implementation of the new Work programme. The integrated package of support provided by the Work programme will ensure that entitlement to benefit for those who are able to work will continue to be contingent on claimant's efforts to actively seek work.
	Our determination to implement a tougher approach will ensure that where claimants refuse to engage with the support offered, or turn down reasonable offers of work, then effective sanctions will be applied. We will legislate if necessary.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent on the independent living fund in financial year  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11 to date.

Maria Miller: The available information is in the table.
	
		
			  Independent living fund expenditure broken down by admin and payments to users 
			  £ million 
			   2009-10  2010-11( 2) 
			 User payments 330.7 57.3 
			 Admin 9.3 1.5 
			 Total 340.0 58.8 
			 (1) Figures are for Great Britain. (2) Figures are for the first two months of 2010-11.  Source: Independent living fund

Social Security Benefits: Shepway

Damian Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people resident in the Shepway district were in receipt of  (a) disability living allowance,  (b) jobseeker's allowance and  (c) incapacity benefit and income support paid on incapacity grounds in each year since 1997; and how much such people were in receipt of employment support allowance in each year since the allowance was introduced.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Benefit claimants in Shepway local authority as at November each year, 1997-2009 
			   Disability living allowance  Jobseeker's allowance  Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance  Income support-incapacity  Employment and support allowance 
			 1997 3,100 2,500 4,500 1,200 - 
			 1998 3,200 2,300 4,500 1,400 - 
			 1999 3,300 1,930 4,340 2,290 - 
			 2000 3,700 1,650 4,380 2,350 - 
			 2001 3,800 1,340 4,450 2,380 - 
			 2002 4,160 1,320 4,440 2,380 - 
			 2003 4,460 1,320 4,530 2,120 - 
			 2004 4,790 1,320 4,730 2,140 - 
			 2005 4,940 1,560 4,620 2,090 - 
			 2006 5,130 1,680 4,520 2,080 - 
			 2007 5,430 1,360 4,520 2,120 - 
			 2008 5,690 1,810 4,370 2,090 70 
			 2009 6,070 2,510 3,850 1,890 750 
			  100% data:  Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Disability Living Allowance data show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 3. 100% data is used for November 1999 to November 2009 (except Disability Living Allowance for which it is used for November 2002 to November 2009), due to 100 per cent data only being available from August 1999 (except Disability Living Allowance where the 100% data is available from May 2002). 4. Data for Jobseeker's Allowance and Incapacity Benefit/Severe Disablement Allowance/Employment and Support Allowance includes credit only cases.  5. "-" denotes not applicable. 6. There will be an overlap in these figures as claimants receiving more than one of these benefits will be counted under each benefit. 7. Income Support Incapacity - claimant receives Income Support and Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance.  Source:  DWP Information Directorate: 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study  5% data:  Notes: 1. Caseloads have been derived by applying 5 per cent proportions to 100% totals and are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. 5 per cent data is used for November 1997 to November 1998 (except Disability Living Allowance for which it is used for November 1997 to November 2001). 3. Data for Jobseeker's Allowance and Incapacity Benefit/Severe Disablement Allowance includes credit only cases. 4. "-" denotes not applicable. 5. There will be an overlap in these figures as claimants receiving more than one of these benefits will be counted under each benefit.  Source:  DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) Information Directorate, 5% samples.

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to implement the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities; and what progress his Department has made in removing its reservation to the convention concerning legal capacity.

Maria Miller: This Government are committed to the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, and to using it as a driver to achieve equality for disabled people.
	The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) is co-ordinating implementation, monitoring and reporting across Government and the Devolved Administrations to ensure they are aware of the need to take the convention into account in developing policies-and that they involve disabled people and their organisations in doing so. The ODI itself is engaging with disabled people and their organisations to raise awareness, and to learn about their expectations of the convention.
	The ODI is also working with the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Scottish Human Rights Commission, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, which have been designated as the independent framework that will promote the convention and monitor how the UK and Devolved Administrations implement it.
	In respect of the reservation entered on Article 12.4, the Department of Work and Pensions has made good progress in developing a review process for benefit appointees-a group affected by Article 12.4 of the convention. This is a major undertaking because there are close to 900,000 DWP customers with appointees.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people aged  (a) 16 to 18 and  (b) 19 years and over have (i) started and (ii) completed a (A) level 2, (B) level 3 and (C) level 4 apprenticeship in each of the last five years.

John Hayes: Table 1 shows the number of apprenticeship starts by level and age in England for 2004-05 to 2008-09, the latest year for which full year data are available.
	Table 2 shows the number of apprenticeship framework achievements by level and age in England for 2004-05 to 2008-09, the latest year for which full year data are available.
	
		
			  Table 1: Apprenticeship programme starts by level and age, 2004-05 to 2008-09 
			   Apprenticeships (Level 2)  Advanced apprenticeships (Level 3)  Higher level apprenticeships (Level 4) 
			   16-18  19 and over  Total  16-18  19 and over  Total  16-18  19 and over  Total 
			 2004-05 87,600 47,500 135,100 25,900 28,000 53,900 - - -- 
			 2005-06 77,100 45,700 122,800 22,400 29,700 52,100 - - - 
			 2006-07 80,800 46,600 127,400 24,800 32,100 56,900 - - 100 
			 2007-08 82,000 69,800 151,800 25,500 47,400 72,900 - - 100 
			 2008-09 74,200 84,300 158,500 25,100 56,100 81,300 - 100 200 
			  Source: Individualised Learner Record 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Apprenticeship framework achievements by level and age, 2004-05 to 2008-09 
			   Apprenticeships (Level 2)  Advanced Apprenticeships (Level 3)  Higher Level Apprenticeships (Level 4) 
			   16-18  19 and over  Total  16-18  19 and over  Total  16-18  19 and over  Total 
			 2004-05 30,400 17,900 48,400 9,800 9,100 18,900 - - - 
			 2005-06 45,000 25,300 70,300 14,000 14,400 28,400 - - - 
			 2006-07 50,100 28,300 78,400 15,600 17,900 33,400 - - - 
			 2007-08 47,100 29,300 76,300 16,200 20,000 36,200 - - - 
			 2008-09 50,200 48,000 98,100 17,500 27,700 45,200 - - - 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. '-' Indicates a base figure of less than 50. 3. Figures are based on age at start of programme. Figures for the 16-18 age category includes a small number of learners aged under 16 years.  Source: Individualised Learner Record 
		
	
	This Government are committed to increasing the number of apprenticeships, in particular, advanced and higher apprenticeships. British employers currently face a work force with insufficient skills at intermediate technician and associate professional level, critical to many industries of the future. Expanding Level 3 and Level 4 apprenticeships will make a significant contribution to remedying the shortage of people with this level of qualification.

Apprentices

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he plans to take to assist companies to offer apprenticeships.

John Hayes: We are determined to make it easier for companies to take on apprentices so that more businesses can access the tremendous benefits they can bring to the workplace. That is why we are redirecting £150 million of Train to Gain in 2010-11 to create an additional 50,000 high quality employer-led places.
	We are committed to increasing the number of genuine, high-quality, employer owned apprenticeships based on real jobs in the workplace, and are working with Sector Skills Councils to ensure that our apprenticeship frameworks meet the needs of the real economy.
	We are also working to reduce bureaucracy and make the system simpler for employers, colleges, and learners alike. My ambition is no less than to build a system that facilitates more apprenticeships in England than we have ever seen before.

Apprentices and Work Experience

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of apprenticeships, work pairings and training placements in  (a) the UK,  (b) Staffordshire and  (c) Tamworth constituency.

John Hayes: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is seeking to drive up the skills levels of the work force by directing public funding where it will bring the clearest benefits. As we stated in the coalition agreement, we will seek ways to support the creation of apprenticeships, internships, work pairings, and college and workplace training places as part of our wider programme to get Britain working.
	We have begun to rebalance skills provision by redeploying £150 million of Train to Gain funding to create 50,000 high-quality, employer-led apprenticeship places. We are also taking action to set colleges and training organisations free from excessive bureaucracy and direct state control, to give them the freedom to respond better to local needs.

Cumbria University

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many times the Minister of State for Universities has  (a) met,  (b) spoken on the telephone and  (c) corresponded with the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cumbria since his appointment.

Edward Davey: holding answer 21 June 2010
	The Secretary of State wrote to all vice chancellors in England, including Professor Graham Upton, interim vice chancellor of the university of Cumbria, on 26 May 2010, regarding the Government's plans to make £6 billon savings this year. A letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Departmental Manpower

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many  (a) front-line and  (b) other staff were employed by (i) his Department and (ii) each of its agencies in the latest year for which figures are available; and what his most recent estimate is of the annual cost to the public purse of employing staff of each type at each of those bodies.

Edward Davey: The latest figures published by the Office of National Statistics for Q4 2009 show total BIS staff numbers at 4,100 which includes 353 BIS staff in regional offices that are not paid by BIS. These figures are not yet broken down by frontline and other staff. The pay costs of employing BIS staff for 2009-10 was £186 million.
	I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, the Intellectual Property Office and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to the hon. Member directly.
	 Letter from Peter Mason, dated 22 June 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO) (formerly National Weights and Measures Laboratory) to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 26 May 2010 2010/39 to the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, asking how many a) front line and b) other staff were employed by (i) his Department and (ii) each of its agencies in the latest year for which figures are available; and what his most recent estimate is of the annual cost to the public purse of employing staff of each type at each of those bodies.
	NMO employed 21 FTE front line staff at a cost of £933.222, and 43 other FTE staff at a cost of £2,361,778 in 2009/10.
	 Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 21 June 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 26 May (UIN 529), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning numbers and costs of employing frontline and other staff in the Department and its agencies.
	The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on 1 April 2010. Staff numbers and estimated costs for Skills Funding Agency 2010-2011 are as follows:
	
		
			   FTE  Payroll costs  (£ million) 
			 Staff employed and charged to the programme budget (includes ESF funding)(1) 834 42.0 
			 Other staff employed by the Skills Funding Agency and charged to the Skills Funding Agency's budget 944 50.2 
			 Staff employed by Skills Funding Agency and seconded to RDAs 32 1.8 
			 Staff employed by Skills Funding Agency within the shared service whose costs are funded by the YPLA (Department for Education) 46 2.2 
			 Total 1,856 96.2 
			 (1) Staff employed and charged to the programme budget are those we classify as front line staff. 
		
	
	 Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 3 June 2010:
	The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question how many (a) front-line and (b) other staff were employed by (i) his Department and (ii) each of its agencies in the latest year for which figures are available; and what his most recent estimate is of the annual cost to the public purse of employing staff of each type at each of those bodies.
	The total number of staff employed by The Insolvency Service as at March 2010 numbered 3,125 split between front-line services at 2,817 and other 308.
	In 2009-10, some 27% of The Insolvency Service's costs were met by the public purse, with the remainder being met from fee income. The front-line staff working in those activities funded from the public purse totalled 517, at a total cost of £15.5m. It is only possible to estimate the other staff numbers and costs as they are not allocated directly to public purse and non-public purse funded activities. We estimate that out of "other", some 61 staff at £3.3m cost would have been funded from the public purse.
	 Letter from John Alty, dated 2 June 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 26 May 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) was established as a Trading Fund to provide services to rights holders. There were an average of 913 full time equivalents (FTEs) working for the Office in 2009/10. All of these costs were met by fees from users at no cost to the public purse.
	In line with its Executive Agency and Trading Fund status, the IPO is required to produce a set of Annual Report & Accounts, included in which, are its people costs. The latest set of accounts can be found at:
	http://www.ipo.gov.uk/ourpublications-review.htm
	 Letter from Gareth J ones :
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 26 May 2010, UIN 529, to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Companies House was established as a Trading Fund to provide services to the general public. There was an average of 1063 full time equivalents (FTEs) working for the Agency in 2009/10. All of these costs were met by fees from users at no cost to the public purse.
	In line with its Executive Agency and Trading Fund status, Companies House is required to produce a set of Annual Report and Accounts, which includes its people costs. The Annual Report and Accounts for 2009/10 will be laid before Parliament prior to the summer recess.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to analyse the distributional effect of the options for reductions in his Department's expenditure.

Edward Davey: The Government set out in their document "Spending Review Framework" that they will
	"look closely at the effects of its decisions on different groups in society, especially the least well off, and on different regions."
	(2.4, page 7)
	Further information will be available at the spending review.

Fossil Fuels: Export Credit Guarantees

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps the Export Credits Guarantee Department is taking to end support for fossil fuel projects.

Mark Prisk: Plans have not yet been developed, including considering the practical implications taking account of ECGD's powers and duties under its statute, to implement the coalition Government's agreement that ECGD and UKTI should become champions for British companies that develop and export innovative green technologies around the world, instead of supporting investment in dirty fossil-fuel energy production.
	ECGD has not supported a coal-fired power station since 2002; were it to consider doing so, it would apply the 'OECD Common Approaches on the Environment and Officially Supported Export Credits' which addresses the environmental impact of projects supported and requires compliance with international standards, usually those of the World Bank Group. Meanwhile, ECGD is participating on behalf of the UK in negotiations to agree export credit terms and conditions within the OECD that will encourage the use of low carbon goods and services.
	
		
			  Fossil fuel projects( 1) 
			  Country  UK exporter  Project  Original level of support provided (£)  Liability start  date (est)  Contract completion date (est) 
			 Indonesia NEI Power Projects Ltd Combined cycle power plant 36,647,273 December 1994 December 2001 
			 Indonesia Allen Power Engineering Ltd Power station extension. Supply and installation of 11 diesel generating sets 18,955,088 December 1997 December 2000 
			 Turkey Allen Power Engineering Ltd Bilkent 6,799,523 October 1998 September 1999 
			 Venezuela 2 Oil and gas project 50,668,873 (2)- (2)- 
			 Philippines ABN Amro Bank NV San Lorenzo-500MW gas power station at Batangas 44,382,802 March 2000 September 2015 
			 Dominican Republic Motherwell Bridge Engineering Ltd San Pedro-Conversion of oil power station to gas-fired power station 15,783,542 April 2000 February 2002 
			 Iran (Islamic Republic of) Skanska Construction UK Ltd Tabas coalmine 29,524,244 March 2001 June 2005 
			 Algeria Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery Ltd Supply of pumping and generating sets for the OZ2 pipeline 22,282,064 October 2001 October 2003 
			 Brazil Man B & W Diesel Ltd 4 x diesel generating sets 6,884,401 November 2001 December 2002 
			 Israel Alstom Power Ltd Refurbishment of existing power station. Low emission boiler and converter 7,094,427 March 2002 October 2003 
			 Turkey Alstom Power Plants Ltd 2 x 160 MLO power station 7,262,428 April 2002 February 2004 
			 Nigeria M W Kellog Ltd LNG project. Addition of trains 4 and 5 to existing LNG plant 119,033,808 December 2002 September 2005 
			 Algeria Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery Ltd Supply of turbine generator sets for the OZ2 pipeline 23,061,936 September 2003 September 2005 
			 Brazil Diamond Offshore Drilling (UK) Ltd P52 oil platform. Drilling offshore exploration wells/charter of an offshore drilling unit 42,767,276 January 2004 February 2004 
			 Azerbaijan BP Exploration (Caspian Sea) Ltd BTC pipeline project 56,354,403 February 2004 August 2006 
			 Iran (Islamic Republic of) Salzgitter Mannesmann (UK) Ltd South Pars Phases 9 and 10. Steel-related products for the downstream development of a gas field 12,630,693 July 2004 July 2008 
			 Iran (Islamic Republic of) Man Ltd South Pars Phases 9 and 10. Mechanical, piping and electrical engineering equipment for the downstream development of a gas field 32,529,092 July 2004 July 2008 
			 Iran (Islamic Republic of) Doncasters Middle East Ltd Provision of services and tooling to refurbish turbine generator blaes 14,373,935 August 2004 March 2006 
			 Kazakhstan Kellogg Brown & Root Ali Bekmoia oil field development 6,839,754 November 2004 December 2004 
			 Mexico Odebrecht Oil and Gas Services Ltd Living quarters on oil platform 6,189,505 November 2004 December 2004 
			 Brazil INVSAT Ltd P52 oil platform: Telecommunications 1,318,153 October 2005 October 2007 
			 Brazil Koch Chemical Technology Group Ltd P52 oil platform: Vacuum deaeration equipment 2,099,502 October 2005 October 2007 
			 Brazil Rolls Royce Power Engineering plc P52 oil platform: Power generation equipment 26,695,937 October 2005 October 2007 
			 Brazil VWS Westgarth Ltd P52 oil platform: Sulphate reduction equipment 6,488,282 October 2005 October 2007 
			 Korea (Republic of) Alstom Power Conversion Ltd Shin Wolsuing power station 1,127,299 January 2006 January 2009 
			 Turkey Brush Electrical Machines Ltd 50MW generators sets 684,163 March 2006 May 2006 
			 Mexico SLP Engineering Ltd KMZ oil field platform: Accommodation platforms 12,468,774 June 2006 January 2008 
			 Nigeria GENTEC Energy plc 5MW gas-fired power plant 7,891,229 May 2008 June 2009 
			 Nigeria GENTEC Energy plc 12.75MW power station and gas plant 13,669,924 September 2008 September 2009 
			 Russian Federation Rolls Royce plc Portovaya compressor station: Compressors and related equipment for the Nordstream pipeline 376,450,274 May 2010 June 2011 
			 (1) Includes oil and gas transportation, coal, oil and gas extractions, power generation and energy exports that involve the use of fossil fuel. Excludes petrochemical projects.  (2) information withheld to protect the commercial interests of the company and ECGD.

Insolvency: North West

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much grant debt the Government Office for the North West has written off as a result of those in receipt of grants entering company voluntary agreements since 2005.

Mark Prisk: The Government Office for the North West has written off no grant debt in this way.

Insolvency: North West

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which not-for-profit companies have had debts written off by the Government Office for the North West as a result of entering company voluntary agreements since 2005; and what sum was written off in each case.

Mark Prisk: The Government Office for the North West has written off no debt in this way.

Northwest Regional Development Agency

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the North West Development Agency has allocated to each project it supported in each of the last five years; and what allocations it plans to make to which projects in 2010-11.

Mark Prisk: The Department allocates budgets to regional development agencies. the agencies determine which projects to support, subject to the terms of the accountability and financial framework and their delegated financial authorities. RDAs' investments have been guided by the regional economic strategy and their corporate plans. The Department does not hold details of individual projects supported by the RDAs within their delegated financial authorities.
	No final decisions have been made on how projects currently delivered by NWDA will be affected by the £270 million savings we are seeking from RDA's budgets. We will be writing to RDAs about the allocation shortly. We will then work with the RDA network to minimise the impact on priority programmes. Stakeholders and delivery partners involved in affected programmes and projects will be kept fully informed as specific decisions are made.

Peru: EU External Trade

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations he has received on the suspension of EU free trade agreement negotiations with Peru; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: Negotiations for the EU-Andean (Peru and Colombia) free trade agreement have not been suspended. Negotiations were concluded in March 2010, and the agreement is likely to enter into force in late 2011.

Post Office: ICT

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations he has received from the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance in the last 12 months; if he will meet representatives of the Alliance to discuss the Post Office's Horizon system; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: Given Post Office Ltd's responsibility for negotiating contractual terms and conditions with sub-postmasters, I have asked David Smith, the managing director of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to my hon. Friend and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the community network of Post Office Ltd and the social network of Post Office Ltd are identical in their  (a) membership and  (b) operation; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: The Government fully recognises the important social and economic role of post offices in delivering services of general economic interest in the communities they serve. To assist with this the Government are committed to continuing to make a social network payment of £180 million to support the network in 2011-12, subject to state aid clearance from the European Commission. The Government are working with Post Office Ltd on funding requirements for the network beyond 2012.

Post Offices

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether Post Office Ltd has completed its review of the Code of Practice governing changes to the post office network.

Edward Davey: The review of the Code of Practice governing changes to the post office network is a matter jointly for Post Office Ltd and Consumer Focus.
	I have therefore asked David Smith, the managing director of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.

Post Offices

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what powers Consumer Focus has to review post office closures under the Network Change programme.

Edward Davey: Under the 2007-08 Network Change programme, Postwatch, a predecessor body to Consumer Focus, had an important role, set out in a memorandum of understanding with Post Office Ltd, in assessing the company's initial area plan closure proposals prior to publication, in monitoring the local public consultation process and in reviewing responses to the consultation and final closure decisions.

Post Offices

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment has been made of the likely effects on the Post Office branch network of the proposed part-privatisation of Royal Mail.

Edward Davey: Government recognise and value the important social and economic role played by post offices in communities throughout the UK and we will be assessing any impacts on the network of legislation to allow the injection of private capital into Royal Mail. We do not want to see a repeat of the network closure programmes operated under the previous Government.

Post Offices

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will ensure that the size of the Post Office branch network is not reduced.

Edward Davey: The Government fully recognises the important social and economic role of post offices in the communities they serve and has made clear it will not repeat the closure programmes of the previous Government. We are also committed to making a social network payment of £180 million to support the network at around its present size in 2011-12, subject to state aid clearance from the European Commission.

Postal Services

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on the future of the Royal Mail universal service obligation.

Edward Davey: The Coalition Government are committed to the ongoing provision of the universal service. We want to safeguard the future of Royal Mail so that its employees have a secure future and customers and businesses continue to have a universal service they can depend on.

Regional Development Agencies

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment has been made of whether proposed changes to regional development agencies in 2009-10 will affect the recently-introduced system of planning and commissioning of 16-18 education.

Nick Gibb: I have been asked to reply.
	The Coalition Government set out its position on the future of regional development agencies (RDAs) in its programme for Government 'Freedom Fairness Responsibility'. They said they will support the creation of local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) to replace RDAs and that these may take the form of existing RDAs where they are popular. The Government will announce further information on their proposals in due course.
	From 1 April 2010 the responsibility to provide education and training provision for 16 to 19-year-olds (and for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities up to the age of 25) passed to local authorities. Local authorities will continue to work with a range of local and regional stakeholders in delivering this responsibility.

Royal Mail

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he  (a) has had and  (b) plans to have discussions with trade unions on a potential stock market flotation in respect of Royal Mail.

Edward Davey: I had an initial meeting with representatives of the Communication Workers Union on the 7 June regarding our plans for an injection of private sector capital into Royal Mail announced in the Queen's speech. I see this as the first meeting in a continuing dialogue with BIS Ministers and officials as Government develops its plans.

Royal Mail: Pensions

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with Royal Mail and others on ownership of the Royal Mail Pension Fund after the proposed part-privatisation of Royal Mail.

Edward Davey: The Royal Mail Pension Plan (RMPP) is an occupational pension plan run by a board of Trustees with an independent Chair and with Royal Mail as the sponsoring employer.
	The Government announced its plans for an injection of private sector capital into Royal Mail in the Queen's speech. While further details of this policy are still being worked up prior to introduction of the proposed legislation, we do not currently anticipate any changes to the governance of the RMPP or its relationship to Royal Mail.

Space Technology: Finance

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what budget his Department has set for space exploration in each of the next three years.

David Willetts: The UK Space Agency exploration budget contributes to the European Space Agency's ExoMars programme. The UK subscription is composed of €14 million per annum direct to the ExoMars programme for the next three years to cover spacecraft costs, and £5.4 million to the associated national programme, also for the next three years, to cover the costs of UK instruments, UK science support and the UK public outreach programme.

St George's Day

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the effect on the economy of establishing an additional bank holiday on St George's Day.

Edward Davey: The Government have not made an estimate of the impact on the economy for establishing St George's day as an additional bank holiday, as the current pattern of bank holidays are well established and accepted.

Student Loans Company

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many times he and the new head of the Student Loans Company have  (a) met,  (b) spoken by telephone and  (c) corresponded since his appointment.

David Willetts: Professor Sir Deian Hopkin was appointed by Ministers as interim Chair of the Student Loans Company on 25 May; Ed Lester was appointed interim Chief Executive by the Board of the Student Loans Company on 28 May.
	Since that time, I and my ministerial colleagues have spoken to both Sir Deian and Mr Lester on a number of occasions.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met Mr Lester on 1 June when he visited the Student Loans Company in Glasgow.
	I met both Sir Deian and Mr Lester during my visit to the Student Loans Company in Darlington on 17 June.

Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's announcement of 24 May 2010 and pursuant to the answer of 7 June 2010,  Official Report, column 69W, on public expenditure: Wales, which of his Department's non-devolved public expenditure savings will be incurred in Wales; and what estimate he has made of the financial savings.

Edward Davey: In relation to its non devolved expenditure, the Department does not have details of the public expenditure savings that it will make in Wales or any estimate of the financial savings it will make in Wales.

EDUCATION

Academies

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will visit the head office of the Academies Enterprise Trust to discuss the value for money achieved from the use of funding provided by his Department to the Trust.

Nick Gibb: The Secretary of State has no current plans to visit the Academies Enterprise Trust. All academy trusts (which includes charitable trusts running more than one academy) are required to publish annual accounts in accordance with the Companies Act 2006. The Department expects all academies to provide value for money from taxpayer funds. The accounts of academies are open to officials from the Department or the National Audit Office for inspection or the carrying out of value for money studies at any time.

Academies

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will amend the funding agreements for academy schools to enable them to be run by profit-making companies.

Nick Gibb: As with all existing academies, the Government will enter funding agreements with, and provide funding to, an academy trust, which will be a charitable company limited by guarantee and which will not be profit making.

Academies

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to write to the governors at schools he has invited to apply for academy status.

Nick Gibb: A letter from the Secretary of State to head teachers and chairs of governing bodies was emailed to all schools on 26 May setting out the opportunity to apply for academy status. A decision to apply for academy status needs to be formally approved by the governing body.

Academies: Sevenoaks

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what funding his Department has allocated for the construction of the Knole Academy in Sevenoaks; and when he expects construction to commence.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 8 June 2010
	Present plans are for the Knole Academy to have a proposed construction capital expenditure figure of £24.5 million, with construction of the academy scheduled to start during the summer of 2011.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the Building Schools for the Future programme in Redcar; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 21 June 2010
	 The Department is currently reviewing the Building Schools for the Future programme to ensure that we can build schools more effectively and more cost-efficiently in the future.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how much funding he plans to allocate to the new school building at Leeds West Academy;
	(2)  how much funding he plans to allocate to the new school building at Farnley Park High School.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 21 June 2010
	 The Department is currently reviewing the Building Schools for the Future programme to ensure that we can build schools more effectively and more cost-efficiently in the future.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what criteria he plans to use to decide which projects in the Building Schools for the Future programme will proceed;
	(2)  when he expects to make an announcement on whether the Building Schools for the Future programme in Warrington will proceed.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 21 June 2010
	 The Department is currently reviewing the Building Schools for the Future programme to ensure that we can build schools more effectively and more cost-efficiently in the future.

Children in Care: GCE A-level

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young people in local authority care obtained one or more A-levels in  (a) Wigan,  (b) the North West and  (c) England in each of the last five years.

Tim Loughton: Information on A-level attempts and achievements of looked after children is not available.

Children in Care: GCSE

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young people in local authority care were awarded five A* to C grades at GCSE in  (a) Wigan,  (b) the North West and  (c) England in each of the last five years.

Tim Loughton: The number of children looked after continuously for at least 12 months at 30 September achieving five or more A*-C grades at GCSE or any GNVQ equivalent in each year from 2005-09 can be found in the following Statistical First Releases (SFRs):
	
		
			  Statistical First Releases 
			  Year  Title  URL  Table 
			 2005 Outcome Indicators for Looked-after Children, Twelve months to  30 September 2005-England http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000651/index.shtml National figures-Table C 
			 
			 2006 Outcome Indicators for Looked-after Children, Twelve months to  30 September 2006-England http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000727/index.shtml National figures-Table C 
			LA figures-Table 5 
			 
			 2007 Outcome Indicators for Children Looked After, Twelve months to  30 September 2007-England http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000785/index.shtml National figures-Table C 
			LA figures-Table 5 
			 
			 2008 Outcome Indicators for Children Looked After, Twelve months to  30 September 2008-England http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000842/index.shtml National figures-Table C 
			LA figures-Table 5 
			 
			 2009 Outcome Indicators for Children Looked After, Twelve months to  30 September 2009-England http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000930/index.shtml National figures-Table C1 
			LA figures-Table 4 
		
	
	These figures are based on the OC2 return which, up to 2008, collected information on Key Stage 4 attainment in GCSE and GNVQ equivalents only. As of November/December 2010, attainment of looked after children will be reported on in a new SFR based on data matched from the National Pupil Database (NPD) to the Children Looked After database (based on the SSDA903 return). This matched dataset will allow us to report on Key Stage 4 attainment of looked after children at GCSE or any equivalent level, bringing the figures into line with those for all children.
	In 2009, figures were also collected in the OC2 return on Key Stage 4 attainment at GCSE or any equivalent. These figures were collected on a voluntary basis, with data returned by 127 of 152 LAs. The figures can be found in the following SFR:
	
		
			  Statistical First Releases 
			  Year  Title  URL  Table 
			 2009 Outcome Indicators for Children Looked After, Twelve months to 30 September 2009-England http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000930/index.shtml National figures-Table C2 
			LA figures-Table 5

Children in Care: Wigan

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young people under the age of 18 years are in local authority care in Wigan constituency.

Tim Loughton: Information on looked after children is not available at constituency level.

Children: Databases

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent discussions he and his Ministerial colleagues have had with  (a) local authorities and  (b) other stakeholders on the future of ContactPoint.

Tim Loughton: We have confirmed with local authorities and other partners our firm intention to end the ContactPoint database as soon as practicable. Both coalition partners' manifestos included a clear commitment to scrap ContactPoint, to fulfil a longstanding policy commitment, discussed with a wide range of interested organisations in recent years. We have consistently opposed a database, which contains details about all children in England, accessed by hundreds of thousands of people and signalled our opposition in debates on the original legislation in the 2004 Children Act.
	We will consider the scope for a more proportionate approach to protecting children most in need and will continue to engage our partners as we take the work forward.

Children: Databases

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the savings to be made as a result of his Department's decision to end the ContactPoint database in each of the next five financial years.

Tim Loughton: We have made clear our firm intention to end the ContactPoint database as soon as practicable. As we do so, we intend to consider the scope for a more proportionate approach to protecting the most vulnerable children. We shall make a further announcement shortly. The impact on the Department's existing expenditure plans will be determined in the light of those decisions.

Departmental Manpower

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many full-time equivalent staff at each Civil Service grade are employed in the private office of each Minister in his Department.

Tim Loughton: Details of the number of full-time staff employed at each Civil Service grade in each Minister's office are as follows:
	
		
			   Grade 5  Grade 6  Grade 7  Higher executive officer  Executive officer  Executive assistant 
			 Michael Gove 1 1 1 1 2 4 
			 Sarah Teather 0 0 0 1 3 1 
			 Nick Gibb 0 0 0 1 3 2 
			 Jonathan Hill 0 0 0 1 3 1.7 
			 Tim Loughton 0 0 0 1 3 1 
		
	
	The Department has fewer Ministers and fewer staff than under the previous administration.

Departmental Official Cars

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many Government  (a) cars and  (b) drivers are allocated to Ministers in his Department.

Tim Loughton: Under the arrangements inherited from Ministers in the previous Government, the current interim arrangements for the Department for Education are  (a)five cars and  (b) five drivers allocated to Departmental Ministers. This is supplemented by the use of pool cars as needed.
	The new Ministerial Code, published on 21 May 2010, contains changes that affect Ministerial entitlement to travel by Government car. It states that
	"the number of Ministers with allocated cars and drivers will be kept to a minimum, taking into account security and other relevant considerations. Other Ministers will be entitled to use cars from the Government Car Service Pool as needed".
	The Ministerial Code, published on 21 May 2010, is available on the Cabinet Office website.
	The Department for Education is working with the Department for Transport and its Government Car and Despatch Agency to effect the transition to new arrangements.

Departmental Public Appointments

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many  (a) political appointments and  (b) other personal appointments he has made since his appointment; and at what estimated annual cost to the public purse.

Tim Loughton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, on 3 June 2010,  Official Report, column 99W.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the future of the education maintenance allowance.

Nick Gibb: I can confirm that the education maintenance allowance (EMA) will be paid in full this year.

Education Maintenance Allowance: Redcar

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many individuals in Redcar constituency are in receipt of education maintenance allowance.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 21 June 2010
	This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Education: Finance

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what grants in what amounts his Department has made to local authorities in 2010-11; and whether each such grant is ring-fenced for a specific purpose.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 7 June 2010
	Details including the amounts of the grants that the Department for Education will be making available to local authorities in 2010-11 are set out in the following table. The table also sets out which grants will be ringfenced.
	
		
			  Specific Revenue and Capital Grants: 2010/11 
			  Revenue Grants  £ million 
			 Dedicated Schools Grant(1) 30,817.1 
			 School Development Grant (schools element)1 1,980.6 
			 Ethnic Minority Achievement(1) 203.0 
			 School Lunch Grant(1) 77.3 
			 Targeted Support for Primary and Secondary Strategy(1) 276.6 
			 Music Grant(1) 82.6 
			 Playing For Success(1) 13.0 
			 School Standards (including personalisation)(1) 1,590.9 
			 1-2-1 Tuition (formerly Making Good Progress)(1) 246.6 
			 London Pay Addition Grant(1) 27.7 
			 Early Years: Flexibility of Free Entitlement for 3-4 Year Olds(1) 340.0 
			 Extended Schools-Sustainability(1) 189.5 
			 Extended Schools-Subsidy(1) 166.9 
			 Prospectus and Common Application Process(1) 1.7 
			 Youth Opportunity Fund 40.8 
			 Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare(1) 1,594.0 
			 Contact Point(1) 15.0 
			 Short Breaks -Aiming High for Disabled Children(1) 183.0 
			 Targeted Mental Health in Schools Grant(1) 27.6 
			 Two Year Old Offer- Early Learning and Childcare(1) 66.8 
			 Think Family Grant 94.1 
			 Youth Crime Action Plan 12.1 
			 Challenge and Support Funding 3.9 
			 TOTAL 38,050.6 
			   
			  Capital Grants  
			 14-19 Capital Fund(1) 3.3 
			 Building Schools for the Future(1) 2,421.0 
			 Aiming High Capital Grant (formerly part of Children's Plan)(1) 52.5 
			 Devolved Formula Capital (devolved to LA schools)(1) 571.7 
			 Extended Schools(1) 21.0 
			 Harnessing Technology Grant and Other ICT(1) 200.9 
			 LA Basic Need(1) 399.2 
			 LA Modernisation 227.6 
			 Locally Coordinated VA Programme(1) 166.8 
			 Primary Capital Programme(1) 893.4 
			 Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare Capital grant(1) 315.0 
			 Schools Access Initiative(1) 95.5 
			 Targeted Capital Fund(1) 305.7 
			 Fair Play Pathfinders 9.3 
			 Fair Play Playbuilders 65.7 
			 Youth Capital Fund(1) 26.5 
			 Young People Secure Accommodation Grant(1) 19.8 
			 TOTAL 5,795.0 
			 (1) Ring-fenced for 2010/11.  Note: Figures will be updated shortly to take account of the latest pupil numbers.

Education: Finance

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education from which of his Department's grants to local authorities ring fences will be removed as indicated in the Chancellor of the Exchequers announcement of 24 May 2010.

Nick Gibb: To increase local authorities flexibility over the use of their resources the Department of Education will be removing the ring fence in 2010-11 from the following grants to local authorities:
	Think Family Grant
	Youth Opportunity Fund
	Youth Crime Action Plan Grant
	Challenge and Support Funding
	Fair Play Pathfinders Capital
	Fair Play Playbuilders Capital

Education: Wigan

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education for which public spending projects in  (a) Wigan constituency and  (b) the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan his Department secured Treasury approval between 1 January 2010 and the date of his appointment as Secretary of State.

Nick Gibb: In the period in question there were no capital projects in Wigan constituency or the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan for which the Department sought or obtained Treasury approval.

Free School Meals

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will reverse the decision not to extend the free school meals pilot scheme.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 21 June 2010
	The decision not to extend the free school meals pilot scheme was taken to protect frontline school budgets and we have no plans to reverse the decision at this time. We are continuing to support the existing free school meal pilots in Durham, Newham and Wolverhampton, the evaluation of which will provide evidence to help us assess better the case for extending eligibility for free school meals in future.

Free School Meals

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the likely effects on low income families of the decision not extend the free school meals pilot scheme.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 21 June 2010
	All pupils who meet the current eligibility criteria will continue to receive free school meals.
	The Government also continue to support reducing child poverty in other ways, and will be producing their child poverty strategy this year to ensure that the routes into poverty are tackled and that children's life chances are improved. Given the current financial climate, it is right to focus schools' budgets on the Government priority of raising attainment, which is key to improving their life chances.
	The Government are continuing to assess the case for extending free school meals, which is why we are continuing the pilots currently under way in Newham, Durham and Wolverhampton. We await their evaluation to see what lessons we can learn.

Further Education: Finance

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding his Department has allocated to further education colleges for 16 to 18 learning in  (a) financial year 2010-11 and  (b) each of the last five financial years.

Nick Gibb: Planned funding for 16 to 18 FE providers (including E2E provision that will be subsumed into foundation learning) will be £4,000 million in 2010-11. Equivalent funding for the previous five years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Financial year  FE  E2E  Total 
			 2009-10 (est. outturn) 3,559 223 3,782 
			 2008-09 3,299 169 3,468 
			 2007-08 3,165 175 3,340 
			 2006-07 3,034 187 3,221 
			 2005-06 2,761 222 2,983

Grandparents: Contact Orders

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he plans to review the provisions of the Children Act 1989 relating to grandparents and extended kin and leave to make applications for contact; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: The Government are committed to reform of the family justice system, as set out in "The Coalition: our programme for government".
	A Family Justice Review is already underway. We will ensure the review examines the system as a whole, including how best to support contact between children and grandparents. The Review is due to report in 2011. If changes are to be made to the family justice system in view of the Review, there will, of course, be a formal announcement.

Literacy: Primary Education

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his most recent estimate is of the number of functionally illiterate 11 year olds; and what estimate he has made of the likely change in the number of such children in each of the next five years.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 21 June 2010
	 There is no specific measurement for 'functional illiteracy' in primary school children. However, in 2009 14% of 11-year-olds did not reach the expected level 4 or above in reading, and 32% in writing. The Government's aim is that no child who is capable of learning to read should leave primary education without a secure level of literacy. We will be seeking to strengthen the teaching of systematic synthetic phonics and encourage schools to adopt robust and well-evidenced approaches.

National Curriculum Tests

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the future of the system of standard assessment tests; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: We intend to review how key stage 2 National Curriculum tests will operate in future. We will maintain external assessment to ensure that all schools are accountable to parents and the tax payer.

Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many staff presently working for the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency in Coventry he expects to transfer to his Department.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 8 June 2010
	National curriculum tests will continue and the people supporting tests will therefore continue to be needed. Some other functions, such as support for the administration of examinations, will continue at least for the medium term, and again we will need to retain the people who work on these areas.

Salford and Wigan Local Education Partnership

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the funding of Salford and Wigan Local Education Partnership; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The Department has not taken any decisions on funding of schools capital programmes, including those being procured through joint local education partnerships. Any future rollout decisions will be announced in due course.

School Meals

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidelines are in place for the provision of school meals to students with  (a) kosher,  (b) halal,  (c) vegetarian,  (d) vegan and  (e) other dietary requirements.

Nick Gibb: Guidelines for providing school lunches to pupils with diverse diets and special dietary needs are provided in the School Food Trust's publication 'A guide to introducing the Government's food-based and nutrient-based standards for school lunches'. This publication is available on the Trust's website at:
	www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/schools/resources/guide-to-the-nutrient-based-standards

Schools: Crimes of Violence

Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what requirement applies to schools to inform the police when a criminal act involving the possession of a knife is committed on school property.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 15 June 2010
	If school staff find and seize a knife they should promptly inform the police and must deliver it to them as soon as is reasonably practicable. Guidance on screening or searching for knives in-school in England was issued in 2007.

Specialised Diplomas

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the future of diploma qualifications.

Nick Gibb: The Government announced on 7 June that all work on the development of the three academic diplomas in languages, humanities and science will stop.
	The Department for Education will be looking at diplomas as part of work to improve the quality of vocational education currently provided to young people, as set out in the coalition agreement.
	We have also announced savings that we will make by cutting back on all but essential diploma development.

Teaching Methods

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department has amended its budgetary provision for  (a) Every Child a Reader,  (b) Every Child a Writer and  (c) Every Child Counts for 2010 following the Chancellor of the Exchequer's announcement on spending plans of 24 May 2010.

Nick Gibb: £144 million was committed at the last comprehensive spending review (2008-11) to support Every Child Counts and Every Child a Reader. A further £25 million was allocated to the Every Child a Writer programme for 2008-11.
	The Department for Education will spend £89 million this year on the Every Child programmes. We have been able to make savings of £5 million across all three programmes for 2010-11 through the identification of unallocated spending.

Teaching Methods

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what changes his Department has made to its budgetary provision for one-to-one tuition in 2010-11 as a consequence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's announcement on spending plans of 24 May 2010.

Nick Gibb: The £256 million allocated to schools and local authorities for the provision of one-to-one tuition in 2010-11 is unaffected. Funding for schools has been protected and the Secretary of State has made clear that there will be no impact on the front-line provision of tuition.
	The Chancellor of the Exchequer's spending announcement of 24 May included from the one-to-one tuition budget £47 million which the Department has returned to the Treasury. This saving has been made from centrally held funding for one-to-one tuition which had not yet been allocated and for which no spending plans had been announced.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to answer Question  (a) 126, on departmental manpower,  (b) 292, on departmental official vehicles and  (c) 374, on departmental public appointments, tabled on 25 May 2010.

Tim Loughton: A response has been issued to the hon. Members questions today.

Young People: Unemployment

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young people in Wigan constituency are not in education, employment or training.

Nick Gibb: The official estimates of participation in education, training and employment for those aged 16 to 18 are published by the Department in a Statistical First Release (SFR) each June and can be found on the Department's website
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000792/index.shtml
	These estimates cannot be broken down to sub-national levels.
	However, Connexions Services collect information on the number and proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds NEET in each local authority area. Connexions information shows that 830 16 to 18-year-olds were NEET in the Wigan local authority area at the end of 2009, 7.1% of the 16 to 18-year-old population. The Connexions NEET data cannot be disaggregated to constituency level.

Youth Opportunities and Youth Capital Funds

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether all local authorities will receive the previously agreed allocation of funding for the  (a) Youth Opportunity Fund and  (b) Youth Capital Fund for 2010-11.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 14 June 2010
	The Government published details on 10 June 2010 of the £1.166 billionn local government contribution to the £6.2 billion cross government savings in 2010-11. Following the announcement on 10 June, the Youth Opportunity Fund will be paid under Section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003. The removal of the ring fence will give local authorities more flexibility over their spending. The Department has not taken any decisions on the Youth Capital Fund. Any future decisions will be announced in due course.